Meanings
plural lawgivers
- One who provides laws to a society.
"Lawgivers were never more mistaken," said Lady Mary, "than when they ordained that the conjugal tie should last through life for better and worse; the last injunction being strictly complied with. There should be septennial marriages, as well as septennial parliaments!"
1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “An Act of Parliament”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 189 - Any lawmaker.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Middle Englishlawe ȝivere
- Englishlawgiver
From Middle English lawe ȝivere, lawe-ȝivere, law ȝevar; equivalent to law + giver.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek νομοθέτης
- νομοθέτης (nomothétēs)one who provides laws to a society
Chinese Mandarin 立法者
- 立法者 (lìfǎzhě)one who provides laws to a society
Finnish lainsäätäjä, lainantaja
- lainsäätäjäone who provides laws to a society
- lainantajaone who provides laws to a society
German Gesetzgeber, Gesetzgeberin
- Gesetzgeberone who provides laws to a society
- Gesetzgeberinone who provides laws to a society
Romanian legiuitor, legiuitoare
- legiuitorone who provides laws to a society
- legiuitoareone who provides laws to a society
Cite this entry
lawgiver. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lawgiver
“lawgiver.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lawgiver. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lawgiver,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lawgiver.
Source: lawgiver on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.