Words / B2

SEN-it/ˈsenɪt/

The senate is the upper house of a parliament in some systems, especially the US Senate: a Senate vote; the Roman Senate. Commons / House is the lower UK chamber; congress is the US whole. How a bill reaches the Senate. Mix-up: senator is a member; senile is about old-age decline. Do not call the House of Lords “the Senate” in a UK answer.

Meaning

The upper house of a parliament in some countries, such as the US Senate.

Examples

• “The politics paper asks how a bill reaches the Senate after the House.”
• “The Roman Senate featured in the classics source, which is the ancient sense.”

Good to know

the Senate; a Senate committee / vote. Member: senator. UK contrast: Lords / Commons. Trap: senile. Politics and classics. Upper chamber, not a person.

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