English Online Dictionary. What means legal? What does legal mean?
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin lēgālis (“legal”), from lēx (“law”). Doublet of loyal and leal.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈliː.ɡəl/
- Rhymes: -iːɡəl
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈliɡəl/
Adjective
legal (comparative more legal, superlative most legal)
- Relating to the law or to lawyers.
- Having its basis in the law.
- Being allowed or prescribed by law.
- Following the rules or syntax of a system, such as a game or a programming language.
- If you have no legal move, but are not in check the game is a draw.
- (informal) Above the age of consent or the legal drinking age.
- (US, Canada) (of paper or document layouts) Measuring 8½ in × 14 in (215.9 mm × 355.6 mm) (also legal-size).
Antonyms
- (allowed): banned, contraband, disallowed, forbidden, illegal, outlawed, unlawful
- (concerning law): black-market, back-alley
- (over age of consent): underage
Coordinate terms
- (law): equitable
Derived terms
Translations
Noun
legal (countable and uncountable, plural legals)
- (uncountable, informal) The legal department of a company.
- Legal wants this in writing.
- (uncountable, US, Canada) Paper in sheets 8½ in × 14 in (215.9 mm × 355.6 mm).
- (countable) A spy who is attached to, and ostensibly employed by, an embassy, military outpost, etc.
- (countable, informal, US) Somebody who immigrated lawfully.
- Antonyms: illegal, undocumented
Derived terms
- legal-size
Anagrams
- Galle, egall
Catalan
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin lēgālis. Compare the inherited doublet lleial.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): (Central, Balearic) [ləˈɣal]
- IPA(key): (Valencian) [leˈɣal]
Adjective
legal m or f (masculine and feminine plural legals)
- legal
- Antonym: il·legal
Derived terms
- legalitzar
- legalment
Related terms
- legalitat
- llei
- lleial
Further reading
- “legal” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
- “legal”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2024
- “legal” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
- “legal” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
Chavacano
Etymology
From Spanish legal.
Adjective
legál
- legal
Danish
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin lēgālis (“legal”), from lēx (“law”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /leɡaːl/, [leˈɡ̊æːˀl]
Adjective
legal
- legal (something that conforms to or is according to law)
- legitimate (conforming to accepted rules)
Inflection
Synonyms
- (legal): lovlig
- (legitimate): legitim
Antonyms
- (legal): illegal
Galician
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin lēgālis. Compare leal.
Adjective
legal m or f (plural legais)
- legal (having its basis in the law)
- Antonym: ilegal
Derived terms
- legalmente
See also
- lícito
German
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin lēgālis (“legal”), from lēx (“law”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [leːˈɡaːl]
- Rhymes: -aːl
Adjective
legal (strong nominative masculine singular legaler, not comparable)
- legal
- Antonym: illegal
Declension
Further reading
- “legal” in Duden online
- “legal” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
Indonesian
Etymology
From Dutch legaal (“legal”), from French légal, from Latin lēgālis.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [ˈlɛɡal]
- Hyphenation: lè‧gal
Adjective
legal
- legal, allowed or prescribed by law.
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading
- “legal” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Language Development and Fostering Agency — Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic Indonesia, 2016.
Portuguese
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin lēgālis (“legal”), from lēx (“law”). Compare leal, an inherited doublet.
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw
- Hyphenation: le‧gal
Adjective
legal m or f (plural legais, comparable, comparative mais legal, superlative o mais legal or legalíssimo)
- legal
- Synonym: lícito
- Antonym: ilegal
- (Brazil, familiar) cool, nice, good
- Synonym: fixe
- Antonym: chato
Quotations
For quotations using this term, see Citations:legal.
Derived terms
- legalmente
- legalzão
Related terms
- ilegal
- legalidade
Romanian
Etymology
Borrowed from French légal, Latin legalis. By surface analysis, lege + -al. Doublet of loial.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /leˈɡal/
Adjective
legal m or n (feminine singular legală, masculine plural legali, feminine and neuter plural legale)
- legal, lawful
- Synonym: licit
- Antonyms: ilegal, ilicit
Declension
Related terms
- legalitate
- legitim
Spanish
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin lēgālis, from lēx (“law”). Compare leal, an inherited doublet.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /leˈɡal/ [leˈɣ̞al]
- Rhymes: -al
- Syllabification: le‧gal
Adjective
legal m or f (masculine and feminine plural legales)
- legal, statutory
- Antonym: ilegal
- lawful
- (colloquial) legit
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading
- “legal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014
Swedish
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin legalis.
Adjective
legal (not comparable)
- legal
Declension
Related terms
- illegal
- legalitet
- legitim
Tagalog
Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish legal.
Pronunciation
- Hyphenation: le‧gal
- IPA(key): /leˈɡal/, [lɛˈɣal]
Adjective
legál (Baybayin spelling ᜎᜒᜄᜎ᜔)
- legal
Related terms
- legalidad
- legalisa
- legalisado
Turkish
Etymology
Borrowed from French légal, from Latin lēgālis.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /leˈɡɑl/
Adjective
legal
- legal (being allowed or prescribed by law)
- Synonym: yasal
- Antonyms: illegal, yasa dışı