States General

States General

English

Etymology

From states, plural of state + general, after Dutch Staten-Generaal, Middle French etats generaux.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /steɪts ˈdʒɛn(ə)ɹəl/

Proper noun

States General

1. (historical) A legislative assembly in the Netherlands until 1795, uniting representatives of the three estates of clergy, nobles, and commons. [from 16th c.]
2. (historical) A similar assembly in pre-Revolutionary France. [from 16th c.]
   • 1932, Duff Cooper, Talleyrand, Folio Society 2010, p. 18:

     In 1789, with bankruptcy staring the government in the face, Louis XVI took the momentous decision to summon the States-General.

Synonyms

• (French assembly): Estates General

Translations

Dutch assembly

Dutch: Staten-Generaal (nl) pl (also used of the current Parliament) German: Generalstaaten m pl

French assembly

Dutch: Staten-Generaal (nl) pl French: états généraux (fr) m pl German: Generalstände m pl