enactment

/ɪnˈæktmɪnt/

/ɪnˈæktmənt/

Other forms: enactments

The process of making something into a law is enactment. The enactment of new legislation in your town means that you'll now have to keep your dog on a leash in all public parks.

Enactment comes from the verb enact, which has long been used to mean "establish as law." This legal terminology has "act" at its center, meaning both "to do" and "written proof of something that's been said, done, or agreed to." Legitimizing this kind of act as law is where enactment comes in. You can also use this word for the resulting law itself: "The enactment doesn't affect me — I never let my dog off her leash anyway."

Definitions of enactment

1. noun

   the passing of a law by a legislative body
   synonyms: passage

   type of:

   lawmaking, legislating, legislation

   the act of making or enacting laws
2. noun

   a legal document codifying the result of deliberations of a committee or society or legislative body
   synonyms: act

   types:

   nullity

   something that is null (especially an enactment that has no legal validity)

   decree, edict, fiat, order, rescript

   a legally binding command or decision entered on the court record (as if issued by a court or judge)

   legislative act, statute

   an act passed by a legislative body

   consent decree

   an agreement between two parties that is sanctioned by the court; for example, a company might agree to stop certain questionable practices without admitting guilt

   curfew

   an order that after a specific time certain activities (as being outside on the streets) are prohibited

   decree nisi

   a decree issued on a first petition for divorce; becomes absolute at some later date

   imperial decree

   a decree issued by a sovereign ruler

   judicial separation, legal separation

   a judicial decree regulating the rights and responsibilities of a married couple living apart

   programma

   an edict that has been publicly posted

   ban, prohibition, proscription

   a decree that prohibits something

   stay

   a judicial order forbidding some action until an event occurs or the order is lifted

   fair-trade act

   formerly a state law that protected manufacturers from price-cutting by allowing them to set minimum retail prices for their merchandise; eliminated by the United States Congress in 1975

   Stamp Act

   an act passed by the British Parliament in 1756 that raised revenue from the American Colonies by a duty in the form of a stamp required on all newspapers and legal or commercial documents; opposition by the Colonies resulted in the repeal of the act in 1766

   enabling act, enabling clause

   a provision in a law that confers on appropriate officials the power to implement or enforce the law

   FISA, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act

   an act passed by Congress in 1978 to establish procedures for requesting judicial authorization for foreign intelligence surveillance and to create the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court; intended to increase United States counterintelligence; separate from ordinary law enforcement surveillance

   ordinance

   a statute enacted by a city government

   special act

   a legislative act that applies only to a particular person or particular district

   bull, papal bull

   a formal proclamation issued by the pope (usually written in antiquated characters and sealed with a leaden bulla)

   type of:

   instrument, legal document, legal instrument, official document

   (law) a document that states some contractual relationship or grants some right
3. noun

   acting the part of a character on stage; dramatically representing the character by speech and action and gesture
   synonyms: characterisation, characterization, personation, portrayal

   types:

   impression

   an impressionistic portrayal of a person

   character, part, persona, role, theatrical role

   an actor's portrayal of someone in a play, film, etc...

   bit part, minor role

   a small role

   heavy

   a serious (or tragic) role in a play

   hero

   the principal character in a play or movie or novel or poem

   ingenue

   the role of an innocent artless young woman in a play

   name part, title role

   the role of the character after whom the play is named

   heroine

   the main good female character in a work of fiction

   baddie, villain

   the principal bad character in a film or work of fiction

   cameo

   a brief appearance by a well-known actor in a movie or play

   type of:

   acting, performing, playacting, playing

   the performance of a part or role in a drama