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Origin and history of legislate

legislate(v.)

"to make laws," 1805, back-formation from legislation or legislator. Related: Legislated; legislating.

also from 1805

Entries linking to legislate

legislation(n.)

1650s, "the enacting of laws," from French législation (14c.), from Late Latin legislationem (nominative legislatio), properly two words, legis latio, "a proposing (literally 'bearing') of a law;" see legislator. Meaning "the product of legislative action" is from 1838.

legislator(n.)

"a lawgiver, a maker of laws," c. 1600, from Latin legis lator "proposer of a law," from legis, genitive of lex "law" (see legal (adj.)) + lator "proposer," agent noun of lātus "borne, brought, carried" (see oblate (n.)), which was used as past tense of ferre "to carry" (from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry," also "to bear children."). In U.S., generally a member of a state, territorial, or colonial legislature. Fem. form legislatrix is from 1670s; legislatress from 1711. Related: Legislatorial.

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