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Definition of legislate

legislate

/ˈlɛdʒ.ɪs.leɪt/
leg · is · late
Adverb:legislatively
•
Adjective:legislative
•
Past Simple:legislated
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Past Participle:legislated
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Present Participle:legislating
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legislate Lexical Profile

legislate Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To make or enact laws (often followed by "for" or "against").

Example

"Parliament voted to legislate against unfair housing practices across the country."

2

To bring about, mandate, or enforce something by enacting laws.

Example

"While the government can set safety standards, it cannot legislate morality or personal kindness."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for legislate
Antonyms
View all antonyms for legislate

• Nearby Words

legion
legionary
legionnaire
legislate
legislation
legislative
legislatively

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in the early 18th century as a back-formation from "legislator" and "legislation", ultimately from Latin "lex" (genitive "legis", meaning "law") and "latus" (past participle of "ferre", meaning "to carry" or "to propose").

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Legislate. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/legislate
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