Bundesrat

[ boo n-duh s-raht; German boo n-duh s-raht ]
/ ˈbʊn dəsˌrɑt; German ˈbʊn dəsˌrɑt /

noun

the upper house of the federal legislature of Germany.
the federal council of Switzerland and of Austria.

Origin of Bundesrat

1870–75; < German, equivalent to Bundes, genitive of Bund federation + Rat council

Example sentences from the Web for bundesrat

British Dictionary definitions for bundesrat

Bundesrat
/ (ˈbʊndəsˌrɑːt) /

noun

(in Germany and formerly in West Germany) the council of state ministers with certain legislative and administrative powers, representing the state governments at federal level
(in Austria) an assembly with some legislative power that represents state interests at the federal level
(in Switzerland) the executive council of the confederation
(in the German empire from 1871–1918) the council representing the governments of the constituent states, with administrative, judicial, and legislative powers

Word Origin for Bundesrat

C19: German, from Bund federation + Rat council