legal
Americanadjective
-
permitted by law; lawful.
Such acts are not legal.
-
of or relating to law; connected with the law or its administration.
the legal profession.
-
appointed, established, or authorized by law; deriving authority from law.
- Synonyms:
- sanctioned, legitimate, licit
-
recognized by law rather than by equity.
-
of, relating to, or characteristic of the profession of law or of lawyers.
a legal mind.
-
Theology.
-
of or relating to the Mosaic Law.
-
of or relating to the doctrine that salvation is gained by good works rather than through free grace.
-
noun
-
a person who acts in a legal manner or with legal authority.
-
Usually legals a foreigner who has entered or resides in a country legally.
-
a person whose status is protected by law.
-
a fish or game animal, within specified size or weight limitations, that the law allows to be caught and kept during an appropriate season.
-
a foreigner who conducts espionage against a host country while working there in a legitimate capacity, often in the diplomatic service.
-
legals, authorized investments that may be made by fiduciaries, as savings banks or trustees.
adjective
-
established by or founded upon law; lawful
-
of or relating to law
-
recognized, enforceable, or having a remedy at law rather than in equity
-
relating to or characteristic of the profession of law
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of legal
First recorded in 1490–1500; from Latin lēgālis “of the law,” equivalent to lēg- (stem of lēx ) “law” + -ālis adjective suffix; see -al 1
Explanation
Legal means having to do with the law, or following the law. Attorneys work in the legal profession but may not always be so lucky as to find a legal parking spot near their office. A legal scholar is someone who studies law. A legal search and seizure is when the cops come to you house with a warrant. A legal apartment is one that meets building code and is in an appropriately zoned neighborhood. Legal's opposite is illegal, which means against the law.
Vocabulary lists containing legal
Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 2
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!
Iroquois Constitution
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!
Word Generation Weekly - Series 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is taking legal action against Thames Valley Police over his arrest in February.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
It couldn’t be determined if she had legal representation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
NHS England said any vision-based monitoring technology must support a human rights-based approach to care and be used in line with legal requirements and appropriate patient consent.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
The film marks a departure for Gilroy, who cut his teeth writing action movies like the "Bourne" films and legal thrillers like "Michael Clayton."
From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026
However, the Icelandic court questioned the Japanese marriage certificate that Miyoko presented because it was only a photocopy, and she had difficulty proving that she was in fact Bobby’s legal wife.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
