legislature
UK[ˈledʒɪslətʃə(r)]US[ˈledʒɪsleɪtʃər]
n
the group of people in a country or state who have the power to make and change laws
n
the building where such a group meets
Morpheme Breakdown
legis
lat
ure
legis
law
lat
carried
ure
noun suffix
Etymology
the word 'legislature' is built from the concept of 'law-bearing'. its core components originate in latin: 'lex, legis' (law) and 'latus' (carried). the combined form 'legis lat-' essentially means 'law-carried' or 'law-proposed', reflecting the process of bringing forward and enacting laws. the suffix '-ure' transforms this action into a noun denoting the collective body or institution responsible for this function. thus, the term's literal meaning, 'a body that carries/bears the law', elegantly captures the modern abstract concept of a law-making assembly.
Analysis
Structure: legis (law) + lat (carried) + ure (noun suffix)
legis (from latin 'lex, legis' meaning 'law'), lat (from latin 'latus', past participle of 'ferre' meaning 'to carry, bear'), ure (from latin '-ura', a noun-forming suffix denoting an action, result, or instrument)
Examples
the state legislature passed a new budget last week.
the issue will be debated in the national legislature.
she has served in the legislature for over a decade.