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

The president-elect’s pick of Matt Gaetz for attorney general signals that he wants the Justice Department to take a sharp-elbowed, hyperpartisan approach to legal matters.

From Los Angeles Times

When one or two states make abortions harder to access, it affects states where abortions remain legal.

From Salon

This makes sense for Musk, who wanted to retain control of his myriad companies while simultaneously providing input on all the regulators that contract with and ensure legal compliance from SpaceX, Tesla, and Neuralink.

From Slate

Adding folic acid to flour could prevent around 200 cases of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, every year, and improve the health of pregnant women, says the government, which is giving manufacturers until the end of 2026 to conform to the new legal requirement.

From BBC

Like any other would-be autocrat, President-elect Donald Trump is selecting people for key positions overseeing the military and legal system based not on objective merits but their personal loyalty to one man: in this case, a 78-year-old Republican who felt betrayed in his first term when more-or-less qualified cabinet officials would balk at some of his more extreme demands.

From Salon

Related Words

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