From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Senate \Sen"ate\, n. [OE. senat, F. s['e]nat, fr. L. senatus,
fr. senex, gen. senis, old, an old man. See {Senior}, {Sir}.]
1. An assembly or council having the highest deliberative and
legislative functions. Specifically:
(a) (Anc. Rom.) A body of elders appointed or elected from
among the nobles of the nation, and having supreme
legislative authority.
[1913 Webster]
The senate was thus the medium through which all
affairs of the whole government had to pass.
--Dr. W.
Smith.
[1913 Webster]
(b) The upper and less numerous branch of a legislature in
various countries, as in France, in the United States,
in most of the separate States of the United States,
and in some Swiss cantons.
(c) In general, a legislative body; a state council; the
legislative department of government.
[1913 Webster]
2. The governing body of the Universities of Cambridge and
London. [Eng.]
[1913 Webster]
3. In some American colleges, a council of elected students,
presided over by the president of the college, to which
are referred cases of discipline and matters of general
concern affecting the students. [U. S.]
[1913 Webster]
{Senate chamber}, a room where a senate meets when it
transacts business.
{Senate house}, a house where a senate meets when it
transacts business.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
senate
n 1: assembly possessing high legislative powers
2: the upper house of the United States Congress [syn: {United
States Senate}, {U.S. Senate}, {US Senate}, {Senate}]
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