illicit
Americanadjective
-
not legally permitted or authorized; unlicensed; unlawful.
- Synonyms:
- prohibited, illegitimate
-
disapproved of or not permitted for moral or ethical reasons.
adjective
-
another word for illegal
-
not allowed or approved by common custom, rule, or standard
illicit sexual relations
Synonym Usage
See illegal.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of illicit
First recorded in 1645–55; from Latin illicitus, equivalent to il- 2 + licit ( def. )
Compare meaning
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Explanation
Illicit means not allowed by law or custom. It's illegal to kill endangered elephants, but many poachers still engage in the Illicit ivory trade. Illicit usually refers to something that is not morally proper or acceptable. Illicit activities — like smuggling or counterfeiting — happen under the radar of the law. Illicit is from Latin illicitus, from the prefix in-, "not," plus licitus, "lawful."
Vocabulary lists containing illicit
Some Tricky Homonyms
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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.
Inés “N” was wanted by Mexican authorities for her “probable participation in the crimes of organized crime and operations with resources of illicit origin,” as well as two counts of suspected tax fraud, Goday wrote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026
In 2024, the US Treasury described the China-based Yu as a "linchpin" of North Korea's illicit money-making activities and warned he was "skilled at employing various schemes to avoid detection".
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026
While the other judges sometimes treat dessert as something illicit, Lawson’s unabashed enthusiasm for baked goods is a welcome change.
From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026
Sourcing targets changed after reports of illicit metal piled up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
Blood obtained, I observed to her repeatedly, through illicit means.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
