legislation English · revision 4589

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=a. 1655|origins=la lex}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˌledʒ.ɪˈsleɪ.ʃən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|législation]] (14th century),^(Etymonline) from [[la-lat|lēgislātiō]], properly the phrase lēgis lātiō “a proposing, literally bearing, of a law”,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998) from lēgis, genitive of lēx “law”, and lātiō “a proposing”,^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) from lātus, the past participle used with ferre and tollere “to bear, raise”.^(NODE 1998) It is related to [[legislator]] and [[legal]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The making or enacting of laws: before 1655 in the OED, the 1650s in Etymonline, the mid-17th century in NODE and SOED.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A legislative body, a legislature, was a sense from 1693, now obsolete.^(OED 1989) The laws themselves, the product of legislative action, are from 1838.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) ''Legislational'' is from 1829.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * a. 1655 – the making of laws.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1693 – a legislature (obsolete).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1838 – enacted laws.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[law]] or body of laws proposed or enacted.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The act or process of making laws; lawmaking by a [[legislature]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[legislator]]

+ * [[legislature]]

+ * [[legislate]]

+ * [[legal]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}