Legal Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms legal American [lee-guhl] / ˈli gəl /

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 British / 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

"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

Other Word Forms

• legally adverb
• postlegal adjective
• prelegal adjective
• pseudolegal adjective
• quasi-legal adjective
• quasi-legally adverb
• unlegal adjective
• unlegally adverb
• unlegalness noun

Etymology

Origin of legal

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Under the government's changes to the UK's asylum system, refugee status will become temporary, guaranteed housing support for asylum seekers will end and new capped "safe and legal routes" into the UK will be created.

From BBC

In fact, thousands of people with legal status have been booted out of the country, and millions more are at risk of the same fate.

From Los Angeles Times

The step had dubious legal validity, since deep-sea areas are governed by treaties administered by the United Nations, rather than individual nations.

From The Wall Street Journal

South Dakota trust boosters say everything they are doing to help clients save on state taxes is legal.

From The Wall Street Journal

The risk of the high-speed approach is that the administration cuts corners and finds itself entangled in a protracted legal morass, legal and energy experts said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.