illicit

[ih-lis-it]

See more synonyms for illicit on Thesaurus.com

adjective

not legally permitted or authorized; unlicensed; unlawful.
disapproved of or not permitted for moral or ethical reasons.

Origin of illicit

From the Latin word illicitus, dating back to 1645–55. See il-², licit

Related formsil·lic·it·ly, adverbil·lic·it·ness, noun

Can be confusedelicit illicitillegal illicit (see synonym study at illegal)

Synonyms for illicit

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1. illegitimate, prohibited. See illegal.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for illicit

illegitimate, unauthorized, illegal, bootleg, unlawful, improper, prohibited, clandestine, contraband, wrongful, furtive, immoral, adulterous, unlicensed, criminal, crooked, dirty, felonious, guilty, heavy

Examples from the Web for illicit

Contemporary Examples of illicit

But the increasing number of fraudsters bringing back wares to stores to make an illicit killing has become impossible to ignore.
The Insane $11 Billion Scam at Retailers’ Return Desks
M.L. Nestel
December 19, 2014
Alexandre went so far as to buy back a Degas from its illicit owners.
My Grandfather's War: Recovering the Art the Nazis Stole
Anne Sinclair
October 5, 2014
It causes some of my cells to express Ebola proteins to illicit an immune response.
Why I Became an Ebola Vaccine Guinea Pig
Lizzie Crocker
September 18, 2014
LSD, an illicit drug with a serious stigma, was once the darling of the psychotherapy world.
Psychedelics Are Ready for a Comeback
Abby Haglage
September 8, 2014
These same groups that trade in animals are also shuttling weapons, humans, and other illicit goods across national lines.
South Africa’s Great Rhino Airlift
Nina Strochlic
August 17, 2014

Historical Examples of illicit

There was no husband for her, only the illicit love of this man.
The Twins of Suffering Creek
Ridgwell Cullum
Very well, the clue which that notice afforded had to do with some illicit traffic.
The Hound From The North
Ridgwell Cullum
Yesterday only an illicit lover: to-day the destroyer of children unborn!
Shoulder-Straps
Henry Morford
Willis could appreciate the idea of locating the illicit press in France.
The Pit Prop Syndicate
Freeman Wills Crofts
Thus the Priory might well ply a lucrative, if illicit, trade.
Records of Woodhall Spa and Neighbourhood
J. Conway Walter

British Dictionary definitions for illicit

illicit

adjective

another word for illegal
not allowed or approved by common custom, rule, or standardillicit sexual relations

Derived Formsillicitly, adverbillicitness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for illicit

adj.

c.1500, from Old French illicite (14c.) "unlawful, forbidden," from Latin illicitus "not allowed, unlawful, illegal," from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + licitus "lawful," past participle of licere "to be allowed" (see licence). Related: Illicitly.