legality
Americannoun
plural
legalities-
the state or quality of being in conformity with the law; lawfulness.
- Synonyms:
- validity, legitimacy
-
attachment to or observance of law.
-
Usually legalities. a duty or obligation imposed by law.
-
Theology. reliance on good works for salvation rather than on free grace.
noun
-
the state or quality of being legal or lawful
-
adherence to legal principles
Other Word Forms
- pseudolegality noun
Etymology
Origin of legality
1425–75; late Middle English legalite < Medieval Latin lēgālitās. See legal, -ity
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.
Supreme Court heard arguments in a case over the legality of that practice this week, but some states aren’t waiting for a ruling.
From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026
Several lawsuits have already been filed challenging the legality of using Section 122 in this nonemergency context.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026
Law firms, for exactly the same reasons, are a potentially independent source of power that can be used to effectively challenge the legality and success of the administration’s actions.
From Slate • Mar. 5, 2026
He added: "The question is not if we are on the side of the ayatollahs - nobody is. The question is whether we are in favour of peace and international legality."
From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026
“To step out of the region of legality requires an extraordinary push of circumstance,” the old man yelled.
From "Grendel" by John Gardner
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.
