Etymology
Origin of illegality
From the Medieval Latin word illēgālitās, dating back to 1630–40. See illegal, -ity
Explanation
Illegality is the state of being against the rules or the law. Sometimes you have to break the law to effect change. The students knew the illegality of their actions, and that they might be arrested, but they figured it was worth it to change a bad law. The root word of illegality is legal, which is from the Latin word legalis, which means related to or pertaining to the law. Il- means not, so illegal means "not legal," and -ity is a suffix used to make an adjective a noun meaning the "state of or condition of." So literally, illegality is the condition of being not legal. Despite the illegality, people often break the law when it comes to speed limits.
Vocabulary lists containing illegality
leg, legis
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
leg, legis (law)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“We welcome this swift and much-needed relief for Isaac, which is a testament to the blatant illegality of the government’s actions,” said Lauren Wilfong, a lawyer with the National Day Laborer Organizing Network.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
President Cyril Ramaphosa is currently digesting the contents of an interim report from a commission he established to investigate illegality within the police.
From BBC • Dec. 23, 2025
Despite reminders from law enforcement regarding the dangers and illegality of non-sanctioned fireworks displays, many residents throughout L.A.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 5, 2025
Platforms can report suspicious transactions to law enforcement, though, and can take so-called know-your-customer precautions, which enable them to identify users whose patterns of activity indicate potential illegality.
From Slate • Mar. 28, 2025
Was there some illegality that the father stashed such sums away?
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
