legal

[ lee-guhl ]

/ ˈli gəl /

See synonyms for: legal / legally on Thesaurus.com

adjective

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.

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.

SYNONYMS FOR legal

3 licit, legitimate, sanctioned.

See synonyms for legal on Thesaurus.com

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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 -al¹

OTHER WORDS FROM legal

le·gal·ly, adverbpost·le·gal, adjectivepre·le·gal, adjectivepseu·do·le·gal, adjective

quasi-legal, adjectivequa·si-le·gal·ly, adverbun·le·gal, adjectiveun·le·gal·ly, adverbun·le·gal·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for legal

It meets all EPA and NSF guidelines to remove bacteria and protozoa, though there is no legal requirement for filters to do so.
The High-Capacity Water Filter You Need for Base Camp|Joe Jackson|November 20, 2020|Outside Online
Parker said he was not aware of any other legal actions the state was taking against the business that could lead to it being shut down.
After Virginia faulted a Christian day care for lack of masks, pastor told parents covid was a ‘hoax’|Meagan Flynn, Sarah Pulliam Bailey, Michelle Boorstein|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
Before joining the Labor Department last year, she’d worked for legal organizations that serve low-wage workers, including immigrants, on labor-related issues.
Inside the Lives of Immigrant Teens Working Dangerous Night Shifts in Suburban Factories|by Melissa Sanchez|November 19, 2020|ProPublica
In a filing to the Supreme Court, Hall’s attorneys told the justices that the government should not rush to execute a federal prisoner in the middle of a pandemic that makes it difficult for Hall to work with his legal team and seek clemency.
Orlando Hall executed after Supreme Court declined to intervene|Ann Marimow|November 19, 2020|Washington Post

The Division of Elections rejected the recall petition, based on Clarkson’s legal advice, but Alaska courts have ruled the effort could proceed.
Junior Staffer Says Top Alaska Official Told Her to Keep Allegations of Misconduct Secret|by Kyle Hopkins, Anchorage Daily News|November 18, 2020|ProPublica
In our headlong quest for a legally perfect society, we don’t take the time to take stock of what‘s been created so far.
Red Tape Is Strangling Good Samaritans|Philip K. Howard|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Interestingly, if Grimm is expelled, he is not legally prohibited from running in the special election for his seat.
The Felon Who Wouldn’t Leave Congress|Ben Jacobs, David Freedlander|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The two girls were legally emancipated and returned to the Covington household.
Beaten By His Church for Being Gay|Justin Jones|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Administration lawyers also approved the "enhanced interrogation techniques" and said they were legally permissible.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: Dec. 14|PunditFact.com|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Because you were covering up for actions that may or may not have been legally authorized.
After Torture Report, Our Moral Authority As a Nation Is Gone|Nick Gillespie|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
From Kennicott she discovered that it was legally organized with a mayor and city-council and wards.
Main Street|Sinclair Lewis
And according to canon and statute law they were legally married, nor could anything short of a divorce part them again.
Earl Hubert's Daughter|Emily Sarah Holt
Are we to include works written by authors then legally residents of the state, afterwards citizens of other states?
Publications of the Mississippi Historical Society, Volume I (of 14)|Mississippi Historical Society
A concubine may be a woman who has a defined and legally guaranteed relation to one man, if the mores have so determined.
Folkways|William Graham Sumner
However that may have been, Mr. Egan seems to me now to have had legally much the advantage of Mrs. Lewis.
Ireland Under Coercion (2nd ed.) (2 of 2) (1888)|William Henry Hurlbert

British Dictionary definitions for legal

legal

/ (ˈliːɡəl) /

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

Derived forms of legal

legally, adverb

Word Origin for legal

C16: from Latin lēgālis, from lēx law

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Origin of legal

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British Dictionary definitions for legal

adjective

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legal

adjective

noun

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Origin of legal

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Example sentences from the Web for legal

British Dictionary definitions for legal

adjective

Derived forms of legal

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