leg·is·la·tor
ˈle-jə-ˌslā-tər 
-ˌslā-ˌtȯr
-ˌslā-ˌtȯr
also ˌle-jə-ˈslā-ˌtȯr
: one that makes laws especially for a political unit
especially
: a member of a legislative body
leg·is·la·tor·ship
-ātə-
: the position of legislator
Examples of legislator in a Sentence
Noun (1)
Write to your state legislator.
the legislators met in an all-night session to hammer out the details of the bill
Recent Examples on the Web
Jack Flemming,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
In 2024, a Boise legislator brought a bill to stop homeowners associations from requiring grass lawns, but the attempt didn’t move forward.
—
Idaho Statesman,
1 July 2026
Federal, state and local legislators have an opportunity to address much of this by creating data privacy and AI systems compliance safeguards and requiring transparency, but in my view, governance efforts to date don’t bode well.
—
Anne Toomey McKenna,
The Conversation,
30 June 2026
The vocabulary differs and the legal instruments are often incompatible, yet the underlying worry converges on something a Chinese regulator and an American legislator would both recognize.
—
Mark Minevich,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for legislator
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
However, the bill was so contentious that in order to squeak it through, legislators stuffed it full of carve-outs and exemptions, allowing cities to delay implementation by passing their own plans to add density.
—
Jack Flemming,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
In 2024, a Boise legislator brought a bill to stop homeowners associations from requiring grass lawns, but the attempt didn’t move forward.
—
Idaho Statesman,
1 July 2026
Federal, state and local legislators have an opportunity to address much of this by creating data privacy and AI systems compliance safeguards and requiring transparency, but in my view, governance efforts to date don’t bode well.
—
Anne Toomey McKenna,
The Conversation,
30 June 2026
The vocabulary differs and the legal instruments are often incompatible, yet the underlying worry converges on something a Chinese regulator and an American legislator would both recognize.
—
Mark Minevich,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for legislator
Cite this Entry
“Legislator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legislator. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
legislator
noun
leg·is·la·tor
ˈlej-ə-ˌslā-ˌtȯ(ə)r
-ˌslāt-ər
-ˌslāt-ər
: a person who makes laws
especially
: a member of a legislature
Legal Definition
legislator
noun
leg·is·la·tor
ˈle-jəs-ˌlā-tər, -ˌtȯr
: a person who makes laws especially for a political unit
especially
: a member of a legislative body
legislatorship
noun
Etymology
Noun
Latin legis lator, literally, proposer of a law, from legis (genitive of lex law) + lator proposer, from ferre (past participle latus) to carry, propose
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