legality
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the fact that something is allowed by the law.
the quality or state of being in accordance with the law. Uncountable in this general sense.
Simple“The company's lawyers are checking the legality of the new contract.”
In context“The court was asked to rule on the legality of the government's decision to bypass the standard bidding process for the infrastructure project.”
SynonymsAntonymsillegalityinvalidity - 02 C1 Advanced
a specific rule or duty that you must follow because of the law.
a specific legal obligation, technicality, or requirement. Countable in this sense.
Simple“We need to finish all the legalities before we can officially open the shop.”
In context“Beyond the financial negotiations, there are several bureaucratic legalities that must be satisfied before the merger can be finalised.”
Synonyms
“Legal scholars have repeatedly questioned the legality of those manoeuvres.”
From legal + -ity.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.