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
Cite this Entry
“Senate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/senate. Accessed 12 May. 2025.
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