legal dictionary

[ lee-guhl dik-shuh-ner-ee ]

noun

1. a specialized dictionary covering terms used in the various branches of the legal profession, as civil law, criminal law, and corporate law. A comprehensive legal dictionary adds to its body of standard English entries many words and phrases that have made their way into modern legal practice from law French and Latin and are often not found in a general English monolingual dictionary. Such a specialized dictionary is useful not only for law students and for attorneys themselves, but for members of the lay public who require legal services. Legal dictionaries published in print follow the normal practice of sorting entry terms alphabetically, while online dictionaries allow direct, immediate access to a search term.

Word History and Origins

Origin of legal dictionary¹

First recorded in 1825–30