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legal

adj.
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ˈɫiɡəɫ// UK //lˈiːɡəl// le·gal Academic General-service Informal

adj. allowed by the law or related to the law. You use this to describe things that follow the rules of a country or involve lawyers and courts.

adj. relating to the law or permitted by the rules of a jurisdiction. Frequently used to distinguish actions that are officially sanctioned from those that are illicit.


SIMPLE

Is it legal to park your car here?

CONTEXTUAL

The company sought legal advice before signing the contract to ensure they were protected.

COMPLEX

While the action was technically legal under the current framework, many critics argued it violated the spirit of the international agreement.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

Learned borrowing from Latin lēgālis (“legal”), from lēx (“law”). Doublet of loyal and leal.

Usage

Typically precedes the noun it modifies; often contrasted with 'illegal' or 'moral'.

Pitfall

He is a legal personHe is a lawyerLearners often use 'legal person' to mean a professional, but in English, 'legal person' is a technical term for a corporation or entity with rights.

Idioms2 entries

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