States General
/steɪts ˈdʒɛn(ə)ɹəl/ proper noun
- proper noun (now historical) A representative assembly in the Habsburg Netherlands (until 1581) and subsequently in the Dutch Republic (until 1795), representing the three estates of clergy, nobles and commons.
- proper noun (now historical) A similar assembly in prerevolutionary France, occasionally convened by the King as a consultive body; it was first convened in 1392 and last in 1789, when its dissolution led to the Revolution.
- proper noun The bicameral parliament of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1815 onwards.
Synonyms
Etymology
From states, plural of state + general, after Dutch Staten-Generaal, Middle French etats generaux.
Sources: Wiktionary — from the Wiktionary entry “States General”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details