senate

noun

sen·​ate ˈse-nət 

plural senates

1

: an assembly or council usually possessing high deliberative and legislative functions: such as

a

: the second chamber in the bicameral legislature of a major political unit (such as a nation, state, or province)

—often used in capitalized form as the shortened name of a specific senate

The bill passed in both the House and the Senate.

Senate Republicans

This article contends that most issues related to Senate reform in Canada have been addressed in Australia.

—Howard Cody

b

: the supreme council of the ancient Roman republic and empire

2

: the hall or chamber in which a senate meets

3

: a governing body of some universities charged with maintaining academic standards and regulations and usually composed of the principal or representative members of the faculty

Examples of senate in a Sentence

the New York State Senate

The Senate approved the bill.

The Senate voted to repeal the tax cut.

Recent Examples on the Web

Renzi’s opponents feared that a party chosen by a mere third or less of those voting in the first ballot could win a majority in the second ballot and then face far fewer institutional checks thanks to a weakened senate. —Mark Gilbert, Foreign Affairs, 14 Dec. 2016

But their performances over the last year indicate most will be reluctant, even resistant, to enforce the new restrictions for fear of alienating some faculty and risking censure votes by academic senates at individual campuses. —Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2024

At Siena College in upstate New York, Conor Geary earned a degree in marketing and management, with a minor in philosophy, and was a leader in the student senate. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 28 May 2024

Maryland’s Republican senate candidate Larry Hogan edged out his Democratic opponent, Angela Alsobrooks, in fundraising during this year’s second quarter, even as a super PAC has assembled millions more that could be put toward installing him in the Senate. —Clara Ence Morse, Washington Post, 16 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English senat, from Anglo-French, from Latin senatus, from sen-, senex old, old man — more at senior

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

senate

noun

sen·​ate ˈsen-ət 

: an official law-making group or council: as

a

: the supreme council of the ancient Roman republic and empire

b

: the higher branch of a legislature of a nation, state, or province

Etymology

Middle English senat "lawmaking council of ancient Rome," from early French senat (same meaning), from Latin senatus, literally, "council of elders," from sen-, senex "old" — related to senior

Legal Definition

senate

noun

sen·​ate ˈse-nət 

: the upper chamber in a bicameral legislature

especially, capitalized : the upper house of the U.S. Congress or a state legislature