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
Etymology
Origin of legality
1425–75; late Middle English legalite < Medieval Latin lēgālitās. See legal, -ity
Explanation
If you’re wondering about the legality of not paying taxes on your lottery winnings, then you’re wondering if it’s legal not to pay the taxes. The noun legality traces back to the Latin word legalis, meaning law, and it used to indicate the degree to which something agrees with the law. If you question the legality of something, such as a wiretap, what you’re doing is questioning whether or not it’s legal in a court of law. You might hear someone say that a court validated the legality of a particular action. That means the court ruled that the action was legal.
Vocabulary lists containing legality
And Then There Were None
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leg, legis (law)
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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.
Moderator Julie Watts noted that California home insurance rates are below the national average and questioned the legality of a freeze.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026
After their arrests, their wives filed habeas corpus petitions at the Supreme Court, challenging the legality of their detentions.
From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026
Salazar that rules on the legality of conversion-therapy bans and what it means for LGBTQ+ youth and the First Amendment.
From Slate • Apr. 9, 2026
So, the court's guidelines will also help decide whether women can be denied entry into Parsi temples and Muslim mosques, whether religious leaders can excommunicate people and the legality of female genital mutilation.
From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026
It was as though he knew very well that in Lombard's past actions legality had not always been a sine qua non....
From "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie
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.
