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legislative council

legislative council

1 6.8
A group of people who make laws for a state or country
  • noun
  • /ˈlɛdʒɪsleɪtɪv ˈkaʊnsl/
translation icon : consejo legislativo
  • The legislative council is responsible for creating new laws in the state.

Examples

  • It was not until the late 1940s that a few Africans were nominated to the legislative councils, but even then, those appointees were censored by both the missionaries and the colonial administrators.

    Academic text (1996)
  • The state discouraged African civic organizations, and it was not until the twilight of the colonial era that Africans were represented in the territory's legislative council.

    Academic text (1998)
  • Below the governor are the Executive and Legislative Councils.

    Academic text (1990)
  • The government used its majority in Parliament as the British had used theirs in the legislative council during the colonial period.

    Academic text (1991)
  • The majority of the Legislative Council members in Hong Kong at present are appointed by the governor with the consent of the British Secretary of State.

    Academic text (1990)
  • The number of elected elements was gradually increased over the years; however, by the time the last British governor delivered the final policy address, Hong Kong had a fully elected Legislative Council.

    Academic text (1998)
  • To approve the introduction of motions regarding revenues or expenditure to the Legislative Council.

    Academic text (1990)
  • In 1833, a legislative council composed of British and natives (Ceylonese members) was established.

    Academic text (2006)
  • The elections for the legislative council held in Macau in 1992 and 1996 were landslide victories for pro-China candidates nominated by leftist organizations.

    Academic text (1999)
  • The introduction of legislative councils under the Indian Councils Acts of 1861 and 1892, and the expansion of literacy and mobility in India, which heralded political awareness, spearheaded the moment for representative government and party system.

    Academic text (2018)

Synonyms

legislature
vslegislative council
356 5.3

A group of people who make and change the laws of a country or region

is typically a single body for lawmaking rather than a general lawmaking group
chamber
vslegislative council
196 4.2

A group of people who meet to make official decisions

is usually a single lawmaking body rather than a general deliberative group
house
vslegislative council
  • Formal
166 7.2

An official group of elected people who make laws

is commonly a single lawmaking body rather than one part of parliament
legislative body
vslegislative council
  • Formal
8 4.5

An official group of people who make and change laws for a country or state

is often a single body that makes laws rather than the broader term
general assembly
vslegislative council
  • Formal
4 4.9

A group of representatives who make and change laws for a state or organization

is usually a single lawmaking body rather than a broad representative meeting
legislative assembly
vslegislative council
  • Formal
1 5.4

A group of elected people who make and change laws for a country or region

is often a single lawmaking body rather than a wider representative body

Antonyms

dissolution
  • Formal
20 6.8

The official ending of a group like a partnership or parliament

1 7.5

Breaking up an organized group like a band or army

How Powerful

parliament
449 3.5
legislative council
1 6.8
city council
88 2.4

Surface Forms

Morphology

legislative + council

The meaning 'a law-making body' is directly derivable from combining 'legislative' (connected to making laws) with 'council' (a group assembled to govern or advise), so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE meaning. The modifier+noun composition is a regular, cross-linguistic pattern in English political terminology, making the expression immediately transparent to B1 learners.

Etymology

Legislative council comes from legislative, meaning 'to make laws', and council, meaning 'a group that meets to decide'. Imagine people sitting around a table writing rules, and that image shows why it means 'a law-making body' today.