legal

[ lee-guhl ]

/ ˈli gəl /

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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.

OTHER WORDS FOR legal

1 licit, legitimate;

3 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

How to use legal in a sentence

The most notorious states are Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, where death is an acceptable legal remedy.
In Defense of Blasphemy|Michael Tomasky|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Weeks retained an unparalleled legal team, which included bitter political rivals Hamilton and Burr.
New York’s Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion|Nina Strochlic|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
What if there were a legal dispute between the foreign investor and his or her Egyptian partners or collaborators?
Amal Clooney vs. Egypt’s Courts|Christopher Dickey|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
However, legal issues are only one of the things standing between an ex-prisoner and a job.
His First Day Out Of Jail After 40 Years: Adjusting To Life Outside|Justin Rohrlich|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST

The Supreme Court eventually stepped in and ended legal segregation in the landmark 1954 decision, Brown v. Board of Education.
The ‘No Child’ Rewrite Threatens Your Kids’ Future|Jonah Edelman|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The Vulgate translates: “Et obviabit illi quasi mater honorificata, et quasi mulier a virginitate suscipiet illum.”
Solomon and Solomonic Literature|Moncure Daniel Conway
In the New Testament a few examples appear in which his utterances are given a quasi-judicial tone.
Solomon and Solomonic Literature|Moncure Daniel Conway
He was guilty of the weakness of taking refuge in what is called, I believe, in legal phrase, a side-issue.
Confidence|Henry James
The legal framework of the State and of obedience to the law in which industrial society is set threatens to break asunder.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
The seizure was made in legal form; the banker, who lost nothing, was bound to comply with it.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison

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

legal

OTHER WORDS FOR legal

Origin of legal

OTHER WORDS FROM legal

Words related to legal

How to use legal in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for legal

Derived forms of legal

Word Origin for legal