legal

[ lee-guhl ]

adjective

1. permitted by law; lawful:

   Such acts are not legal.

2. of or relating to law; connected with the law or its administration:

   the legal profession.

3. appointed, established, or authorized by law; deriving authority from law.

   Synonyms: sanctioned, legitimate, licit

4. recognized by law rather than by equity.
5. of, relating to, or characteristic of the profession of law or of lawyers:

   a legal mind.

6. Theology.
   1. of or relating to the Mosaic Law.
   2. of or relating to the doctrine that salvation is gained by good works rather than through free grace.

noun

1. a person who acts in a legal manner or with legal authority.
2. Usually legals. a foreigner who has entered or resides in a country legally.
3. a person whose status is protected by law.
4. a fish or game animal, within specified size or weight limitations, that the law allows to be caught and kept during an appropriate season.
5. a foreigner who conducts espionage against a host country while working there in a legitimate capacity, often in the diplomatic service.
6. legals, authorized investments that may be made by fiduciaries, as savings banks or trustees.

legal

/ ˈliːɡəl /

adjective

1. established by or founded upon law; lawful
2. of or relating to law
3. recognized, enforceable, or having a remedy at law rather than in equity
4. relating to or characteristic of the profession of law

Derived Forms

• ˈlegally, adverb

Other Words From

• legal·ly adverb
• post·legal adjective
• pre·legal adjective
• pseudo·legal adjective
• quasi-legal adjective
• quasi-legal·ly adverb
• un·legal adjective
• un·legal·ly adverb
• un·legal·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of legal¹

First recorded in 1490–1500; from Latin lēgālis “of the law,” equivalent to lēg- (stem of lēx ) “law” + -ālis adjective suffix; -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of legal¹

C16: from Latin lēgālis, from lēx law

Example Sentences

She writes with the ease of a novelist rather than the characteristic precision of a legal scholar.

From Washington Post

Another proposal would prohibit cars from blocking the box at intersections, which is legal in some parts of the state.

From Washington Post

In general, ESG stands for “environment-social-governance” and comprises a set of principles that touches on issues from diversity and board structures to labor relations, supply chain, data ethics, environmental impact and legal requirements.

From TechCrunch

Companies don’t share that info, in part because of the concern about legal consequences like the ones Trek is facing now.

From Outside Online

Jeff Kosseff, a former reporter turned lawyer and legal scholar, has emerged as one of the leading experts on the 1996 law and is author of the aptly titled book “The Twenty-Six Words That Created the Internet.”

From ProPublica

The most notorious states are Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, where death is an acceptable legal remedy.

From The Daily Beast

Weeks retained an unparalleled legal team, which included bitter political rivals Hamilton and Burr.

From The Daily Beast

What if there were a legal dispute between the foreign investor and his or her Egyptian partners or collaborators?

From The Daily Beast

However, legal issues are only one of the things standing between an ex-prisoner and a job.

From The Daily Beast

The Supreme Court eventually stepped in and ended legal segregation in the landmark 1954 decision, Brown v. Board of Education.

From The Daily Beast

He was guilty of the weakness of taking refuge in what is called, I believe, in legal phrase, a side-issue.

From Project Gutenberg

The legal framework of the State and of obedience to the law in which industrial society is set threatens to break asunder.

From Project Gutenberg

The seizure was made in legal form; the banker, who lost nothing, was bound to comply with it.

From Project Gutenberg

This little book contains many of the legal principles that are in most frequent use, as readers will learn who carefully read it.

From Project Gutenberg

The law only gave you the right to proceed against him to recover money damages for the legal injury.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• constitutional
• contractual
• fair
• juridical
• lawful
• legitimate
• proper
• statutory
• valid