legislator

/ˌlɛdʒəˈsleɪdər/

/ˈlɛdʒɪsleɪtə/

Other forms: legislators

A legislator makes laws. Congress is full of legislators. You have several who represent you at both the state and national level.

Don't confuse a legislator with the legislature. Whereas the latter refers to the group such as the Congress, a legislator is a member of the group. At the national level, senators and representatives are given the task of writing our laws. States sometimes have different names for their two legislative houses, but the set-up is similar. The United States may be the world's oldest democracy, but legislators have been around nearly forever — the Romans had them.

Definitions of legislator

1. noun

   someone who makes or enacts laws
   examples:

   Thomas Hart Benton

   United States legislator who opposed the use of paper currency (1782-1858)

   types:

   backbencher

   a member of the House of Commons who is not a party leader

   congressman, congresswoman, representative

   a member of the United States House of Representatives

   crossbencher

   a member of the House of Commons who does not vote regularly with either the government or the Opposition

   deputy

   a member of the lower chamber of a legislative assembly (such as in France)

   filibuster, filibusterer

   a legislator who gives long speeches in an effort to delay or obstruct legislation that he (or she) opposes

   floor leader

   the legislator who organizes his party's strategy

   frontbencher

   a member of the House of Commons who is a minister in the government or who holds an official position in an opposition party

   majority leader

   leader of the majority party in a legislature

   minority leader

   leader of the minority party in a legislature

   Member of Parliament, Parliamentarian

   an elected member of the British Parliament: a member of the House of Commons

   senator

   a member of a senate

   party whip, whip

   a legislator appointed by the party to enforce discipline

   burgess

   a representative in the lower house of the colonial legislature in Maryland or Virginia

   rep

   informal abbreviation of `representative'

   state senator

   a member of a state senate

   burgess

   (historical) a member of the British Parliament from a borough, university, or corporate town

   type of:

   lawgiver, lawmaker

   a maker of laws; someone who gives a code of laws

   politician

   a leader engaged in civil administration