The process by which government agencies create regulations and administrative rules to implement laws passed by legislatures.
Compound of 'rule' from Old French 'riule' (straight stick, guideline) and 'making' from Old English 'macian'. The concept emerged with modern administrative states in the 19th-20th centuries.
This seemingly dry bureaucratic term represents one of the most powerful forces shaping daily life, as agency rulemaking often has more immediate impact than legislation itself. The Federal Register publishes thousands of pages of new rules annually, creating a vast secondary legal system.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.