Bundesrat
noun
Bun·des·rat
ˈbu̇ndəsˌrät,
G -räät
plural -s
: a federal council especially having legislative or executive functions: such as
a
: the upper house of the German and Austrian parliaments composed of members selected by the state governments
b
: the chief executive authority of Switzerland consisting of members elected by the Federal Assembly
Word History
Etymology
German, from bundes (genitive of bund federation) + rat council, advice, from Old High German rāt advice; akin to rātan to advise