legislator

Everyday

1. A person who makes laws, especially a member of a parliament, congress or other law-making group. tree →
2. (formal) Anyone with the power to make rules for a country or state. tree →

In the lessons

Used in civics and history lessons, in news reports and in formal writing. In the USA it often means a member of Congress or of a state legislature; in the UK it means MPs and members of the House of Lords. It tells the reader the person helps decide the laws. Phrases: state legislator, local legislators, legislators voted.

Examples

• Legislators voted to build a new hospital. tree →
• A legislator is someone who helps make the laws. tree →
• The children wrote letters to their state legislators about plastic bags. tree →
• Legislators argued about the new school rules for hours. tree →
• She became a legislator after working as a teacher. tree →
• Legislators must listen to the people who elected them. tree →
• The legislator visited our school to talk about democracy. tree →
• Many legislators supported the new road safety law. tree →

Note

Countable: a legislator, legislators. Related words: legislate (verb), legislation (laws), legislature (the group of law-makers). Formal word; in everyday talk people say «politician», «MP» or «lawmaker».