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
How does illicit compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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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This Week in Words: September 1 - 7, 2018
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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.
These aren’t descriptions of romantic love or illicit drugs—they’re how startup founders talk about managing their newest employees: AI agents.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
South Africa is not the only African country where illicit laboratories have been found.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
These figures do not take into account smuggling and illicit flows, which are difficult to assess.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
It has also become a major importer of illicit Iranian crude, according to industry analysts, shipping brokers and the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
“It has happened before. Potion ingredients have gone missing from my private store cupboard . . . students attempting illicit mixtures, no doubt. “Reckon they were after potion ingredients, eh?” said Moody.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
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.
