legislature

Formed in 1676 from the stem of "legislator" plus the suffix "-ure," which turns an agent into an institution or process. It's cognate with the French "législature."

The facts given don't trace a shift in meaning beyond its formation — it was built directly to name the lawmaking body itself.

It shares its root with "legislator": one names the person who makes laws, the other the assembly built around that role.