legal en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈliː.ɡəl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (US) audio
- /ˈli.ɡəl/ (US)
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *lḗǵs? Proto-Indo-European *legʰ- Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *lḗgʰs? Proto-Italic *lēks Latin lex Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin lēgālislbor. English legal Learned borrowing from Latin lēgālis (“legal”), from lēx (“law”). Doublet of loyal and leal.
Meanings
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Relating to the law or to lawyers.
legal profession
According to this saga of intellectual-property misanthropy, these creatures [patent trolls] roam the business world, buying up patents and then using them to demand extravagant payouts from companies they accuse of infringing them. Often, their victims pay up rather than face the costs of a legal battle.
2013 June 8, “Obama goes troll-hunting”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8839, archived from the original on 19 Sep 2020, page 55:
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Having its basis in the law.
legal precedent
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Being established, permitted, required or prescribed by law.
legal motion
After 50 years, legal segregation is a distant memory, and race in America is not the unbridgeable chasm it once was. The country has a black president. The sort of comity that King evoked, in which the descendants of slaves and of slave owners “sit down together at the table of brotherhood”, can be found in many places, including the Deep South. The rate of marriage between blacks and whites is rising.
2013 August 23, “Waking life”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8850, archived from the original on 10 Mar 2023:In South Africa, it’s still legal to “trophy hunt” the white rhino, which [Anna] Merz and others find reprehensible.
1992 December 17, Michael Granberry, “Vanishing Act: Animals: A world without the homely rhino? […]”, in Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 20 Jul 2025:
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Following the rules or syntax of a system, such as a game or a programming language.
Programming languages are designed so that each legal program has exactly one meaning
2021, John V. Guttag, Introduction to Computation and Programming Using Python, Third Edition, page 7:If you have no legal move, but are not in check the game is a draw.
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(offensive, slang, sometimes) Above the age of consent or the legal drinking age.
"Is she even legal? She looks like a minor." Elias whispers back, "Of course. I checked her passport. She's 20. What do you take me for? Be nice. I like her." I immediately smile at the girl behind Elias,[…]
2024 April 18, Ayin Quijano, Bottoms Up, Boracay (Season 2 Amihan), Ayin Quijano:"Is she even legal? Shame on you, diddlin' a girl too young to buy beer. You being a church deacon and all." If looks could kill, Dale would be dead.
2012 September 18, Sandra Brown, Low Pressure, Grand Central Publishing, →ISBN:
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(US, colloquial) Permitting the use and/or sale of cannabis; in which cannabis is lawful.
Whether you're interested in opening a retail marijuana store in a legal state or if you're interested in investing in someone or a company, which is operating in a legal state, there are[…]
2016 January 30, Jasper Stohner, 101 Money Making Methods in the Marijuana Madness Movement of 2016, Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 45:[Because] marijuana is still a federally illegal drug, using the drug in a child's presence, even in a legal state, could thus be construed as child abuse.
2019 September 13, Tracy Ferrell, Migrating for Medical Marijuana: Pioneers in a New Frontier of Treatment, McFarland, →ISBN, page 160:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| more legal | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most legal | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Antonyms
underage · back-alley · unlawful · forbidden · contraband · illegal · disallowed · outlawed · banned · black-market
Coordinates
Deriveds
sociopoliticolegal · legal sex · legal-ese · dentolegal · legal effect and consequence · legal remedy · legalism · sociolegal · legal secretary · psycholegal · medicolegal · legal entity · extralegal · legalistic · politicolegal · legal recourse · legal high · street-legal · legal aid · legal fiction · legal capacity · hyperlegal · counterlegal · legal doublet · legal heir · intralegal · legal certainty · legal person · legalise · legal doctrine · quasilegal · legal duty · legal interest · legal studies · legal relationship · legal effect · legal hold · legalist · legal chemistry · legal notice · legally · legal cap · legalitarian · legal gender · metalegal · legalness · legal force · legal separation · legal code · legal vacuum · legal theory · legal consequence · legal cynicism · legal positivism · legality · legal holiday · legal instrument · legalese · lagger · legal action · legal height · legal advice · pseudolegal · legal year · legal researcher · prelegal · legal system · legal professional privilege · legal void · legal name · preterlegal · nonlegal · legaltech · juridico-legal · legal eagle · semilegal · legal tender · legal age · legal representative · legalize · cyberlegal · postlegal · ultralegal · sublegal · legal blindness · legal gap · legal assistant · legal service · legal pad · legal beagle · Legalism · paralegal · chief legal officer · legalspeak · legal agreement · supralegal · antilegal
Synonyms
legitimate · legitimate · lawful · de jure · licit · lawful · rightful · licit · legal
Translations (198)
be зако́нны (allowed or prescribed by law) · hu jogi (relating to the law or to lawyers) · sl praven (having its basis in the law) · mn хуулийн (relating to the law or to lawyers) · he משפטי (relating to the law or to lawyers) · bg юриди́чески (relating to the law or to lawyers) · cmn 合法 (allowed or prescribed by law) · tr meşru (allowed or prescribed by law) · es legal (relating to the law or to lawyers) · cmn 法律的 (relating to the law or to lawyers) · ru юриди́ческий (relating to the law or to lawyers) · fi juridinen (having its basis in the law) · hu törvényes (allowed or prescribed by law) · sw halali (allowed or prescribed by law) · la legitimus (relating to the law or to lawyers) · ga dleathach (relating to the law or to lawyers) · zdj -a sharia (allowed or prescribed by law) · cs právní (having its basis in the law) · hy իրավական (having its basis in the law) · scn ligali (having its basis in the law) · el νόμιμος (allowed or prescribed by law) · pl zgodny z prawem (allowed or prescribed by law) · bg лега́лен (allowed or prescribed by law) · sc zurìdicu (relating to the law or to lawyers) · mn хууль ёсны (allowed or prescribed by law) · pt legal (allowed or prescribed by law) · sl zakonit (allowed or prescribed by law) · nl rechts- (relating to the law or to lawyers) · sv juridisk (relating to the law or to lawyers) · nb juridisk (relating to the law or to lawyers) · bg зако́нов (having its basis in the law) · ru лега́льный (allowed or prescribed by law) · grc ἔννομος (allowed or prescribed by law) · sh zakonit (allowed or prescribed by law) · fi lainmukainen (having its basis in the law) · scn ligali (allowed or prescribed by law) · sk právny (having its basis in the law) · fr juridique (relating to the law or to lawyers) · fa قانونی (relating to the law or to lawyers) · ro legal (allowed or prescribed by law) · bg зако́нен (allowed or prescribed by law) · ca legal (having its basis in the law) · pt legal (having its basis in the law) · acw قانوني (having its basis in the law) · cy cyfreithlon (allowed or prescribed by law) · pl pełnomocny (allowed or prescribed by law) · tr adli (relating to the law or to lawyers) · vec łegałe (allowed or prescribed by law) · ro juridic (relating to the law or to lawyers) · eo laŭleĝa (relating to the law or to lawyers) · pl prawowity (allowed or prescribed by law) · tr hukuksal (relating to the law or to lawyers) · ru правоме́рный (having its basis in the law) · sc giurìdicu (relating to the law or to lawyers) · ja 法律の (having its basis in the law) · de rechtlich (relating to the law or to lawyers) · de juristisch (having its basis in the law) · grc νομικός (relating to the law or to lawyers) · az qanuni (allowed or prescribed by law) · pl legalny (allowed or prescribed by law) · fi lainopillinen (relating to the law or to lawyers) · tr yasal (having its basis in the law) · hi विधिक (relating to the law or to lawyers) · cs zákonný (having its basis in the law) · ko 법률 (having its basis in the law) · hi विधिक (having its basis in the law) · da juridisk (relating to the law or to lawyers) · fur juridic (relating to the law or to lawyers) · eo leĝa (allowed or prescribed by law) · fur legâl (having its basis in the law) · gl legal (having its basis in the law) · mk законски (allowed or prescribed by law) · nn juridisk (relating to the law or to lawyers) · km ស្របច្បាប់ (allowed or prescribed by law) · tr hukuki (relating to the law or to lawyers) · fi juridinen (relating to the law or to lawyers) · pt jurídico (relating to the law or to lawyers) · da legal (allowed or prescribed by law) · sv rättsligt (having its basis in the law) · cs legální (having its basis in the law) · da retslig (relating to the law or to lawyers) · ast llegal (allowed or prescribed by law) · sk legálny (having its basis in the law) · nrf légal (allowed or prescribed by law) · scn ligali (relating to the law or to lawyers) · mk законски (having its basis in the law) · be пра́ўны (relating to the law or to lawyers) · sv legal (allowed or prescribed by law) · ang ǣwlīċ (allowed or prescribed by law) · vec łegałe (having its basis in the law) · nb legal (allowed or prescribed by law) · sv laglig (allowed or prescribed by law) · hi विधिक (allowed or prescribed by law) · be юрыды́чны (relating to the law or to lawyers) · uk правомі́рний (having its basis in the law) · uk юриди́чний (relating to the law or to lawyers) · hy իրավական (relating to the law or to lawyers) · nb lovlig (allowed or prescribed by law) · is löglegur (allowed or prescribed by law) · it legale (having its basis in the law) · lv likumīgs (relating to the law or to lawyers) · sv rättsligt (relating to the law or to lawyers) · lv likumīgs (having its basis in the law) · vi luật (relating to the law or to lawyers) · pl prawniczy (relating to the law or to lawyers) · fi laillinen (allowed or prescribed by law) · bg пра́вен (relating to the law or to lawyers) · it giuridico (relating to the law or to lawyers) · nl wettig (allowed or prescribed by law) · cs zákonný (allowed or prescribed by law) · he משפטי (having its basis in the law) · ga dleathach (allowed or prescribed by law) · vi hợp pháp (allowed or prescribed by law) · tr kanuni (allowed or prescribed by law) · nl legitiem (allowed or prescribed by law) · es legal (having its basis in the law) · id legal (allowed or prescribed by law) · bo ཁྲིམས་མཐུན (allowed or prescribed by law) · eo leĝa (relating to the law or to lawyers) · ja 法に則った (allowed or prescribed by law) · cs právní (relating to the law or to lawyers) · ar قَانُونِيّ (having its basis in the law) · mr कायदेशीर (allowed or prescribed by law) · sw kisheria (relating to the law or to lawyers) · tr tüzel (relating to the law or to lawyers) · nl juridisch (relating to the law or to lawyers) · be прававы́ (relating to the law or to lawyers) · de legal (allowed or prescribed by law) · sh legalan (allowed or prescribed by law) · el νομικός (relating to the law or to lawyers) · ru зако́нный (having its basis in the law) · hy օրինական (allowed or prescribed by law) · ar قَانُونِيّ (relating to the law or to lawyers) · sk právny (relating to the law or to lawyers) · ar قَانُونِيّ (allowed or prescribed by law) · ca legal (allowed or prescribed by law) · da lovlig (allowed or prescribed by law) · ru зако́нный (allowed or prescribed by law) · ko 합법적인 (allowed or prescribed by law) · ast xurídicu (relating to the law or to lawyers) · de rechtlich (having its basis in the law) · nb rettslig (having its basis in the law) · ca jurídic (relating to the law or to lawyers) · uk лега́льний (allowed or prescribed by law) · eo laŭleĝa (allowed or prescribed by law) · fi oikeudellinen (relating to the law or to lawyers) · be лега́льны (allowed or prescribed by law) · nl juridisch (having its basis in the law) · be праваме́рны (having its basis in the law) · ja 法的な (relating to the law or to lawyers) · fur legâl (allowed or prescribed by law) · vec łegałe (relating to the law or to lawyers) · ro legal (having its basis in the law) · ja 合法 (allowed or prescribed by law) · fi laki- (relating to the law or to lawyers) · eu legezko (allowed or prescribed by law) · he חוקי (allowed or prescribed by law) · de juristisch (relating to the law or to lawyers) · nl wettelijk (allowed or prescribed by law) · fa حقوقی (relating to the law or to lawyers) · lv likumīgs (allowed or prescribed by law) · nrf légal (relating to the law or to lawyers) · fi lakisääteinen (allowed or prescribed by law) · gl legal (allowed or prescribed by law) · fi lakimies- (relating to the law or to lawyers) · el νομικός (having its basis in the law) · pl prawny (having its basis in the law) · ro juridic (having its basis in the law) · sk zákonný (having its basis in the law) · nl legaal (allowed or prescribed by law) · mk правен (relating to the law or to lawyers) · la lēgitimus (allowed or prescribed by law) · cs legální (allowed or prescribed by law) · uk правови́й (relating to the law or to lawyers) · lt teisėtas (allowed or prescribed by law) · pl legalny (having its basis in the law) · ast llegal (having its basis in the law) · mn хууль ёсны (relating to the law or to lawyers) · fr légal (allowed or prescribed by law) · acw قانوني (relating to the law or to lawyers) · tr yasal (allowed or prescribed by law) · it legale (allowed or prescribed by law) · ru правово́й (relating to the law or to lawyers) · acw قانوني (allowed or prescribed by law) · cy cyfreithiol (relating to the law or to lawyers) · uk зако́нний (having its basis in the law) · cmn 法定的 (having its basis in the law) · mn албан ёсны (relating to the law or to lawyers) · uk пра́вний (relating to the law or to lawyers) · km តាមច្បាប់ (allowed or prescribed by law) · gl legal (relating to the law or to lawyers) · es legal (allowed or prescribed by law) · ko 법적 (relating to the law or to lawyers) · uk зако́нний (allowed or prescribed by law) · sl pravniški (relating to the law or to lawyers) · be зако́нны (having its basis in the law) · et seaduslik (allowed or prescribed by law) · la legalis (relating to the law or to lawyers)