illegality

[il-ee-gal-i-tee]

noun

plural

illegalities 

1. illegal condition or quality; unlawfulness.

2. an illegal act.

Word History and Origins

Origin of illegality¹

From the Medieval Latin word illēgālitās, dating back to 1630–40. See illegal, -ity

Example Sentences

Ms Hardy is aware of the illegality of using these types of drugs, but she claims the use is "righteous civil disobedience".

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But those rights were always fragile and accompanied by anti-immigrant campaigns justified with the concept of "illegality."

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For now, expect other negotiators around the world to put their feet up and wait, while the White House tries to disprove the illegality of the very basis of its global trade conflict.

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As countless illegal Trump administration acts demonstrate, however, illegality is no longer a barrier of any sort to whatever its officials want to do.

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But if, if we're in a world right now where it's recently clear that we can't fix mistakes or illegalities after the fact, then it does have to be stopped before they happen.

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Related Words

• atrocity 
• criminality 
• dereliction 
• immorality 
• infraction 
• infringement 
• lawlessness 
• malfeasance 
• misconduct 
• misdeed 
• wrongdoing