legal
LEE-guhl
Legal (adj) means relating to the law. Example: “She sought legal advice before signing the contract.”
adj
1
Relating to the law.
"She sought legal advice before signing the contract."
"The company faced a long legal battle over who owned the land."
"He asked a lawyer to explain the legal terms in the lease."
2
Allowed or required by law.
"It became legal to drive at eighteen in most states."
"Cannabis is now legal for recreational use in several countries."
"Is it legal to park here overnight without a permit?"
noun
1
The legal department of a company.
"Send the contract to legal before you sign anything."
"Our new slogan is still waiting for approval from legal."
"I will ask legal to check the wording before we publish the offer."
How to use legal
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAnything to do with law, or specifically permitted under the law.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
legal advice
legal action
go legal
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like legal.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- legals
- Comparative
- more legal
- Superlative
- most legal
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She sought _____ advice before signing the contract.
Etymology
A learned borrowing from Latin lēgālis, from lēx, "law" — a doublet of "loyal," which came into English through French instead.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for legal
See all rhymes for legal →Frequently asked questions
What does “legal” mean?
The word “legal” means relating to the law. In plain terms, anything to do with law, or specifically permitted under the law.
How do you pronounce “legal”?
“Legal” is pronounced LEE-guhl (/ˈli.ɡəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “legal” in a sentence?
Here is “legal” used in a sentence: “She sought legal advice before signing the contract.”
What part of speech is “legal”?
Depending on how it is used, “legal” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “legal” come from?
The word “legal” comes from Latin. A learned borrowing from Latin lēgālis, from lēx, "law" — a doublet of "loyal," which came into English through French instead.
Is “legal” a common word?
“Legal” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “legal” have?
“Legal” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to the law.
What is the difference between legal and loyal?
The words look and sound somewhat alike but mean very different things. Legal relates to the law, describing what the law allows or what concerns legal matters. Loyal describes faithfulness and steady support for a person, group, or cause. One is about law; the other is about devotion.
What is the difference between legal and illegal?
Legal describes something that relates to the law or is permitted by it, while illegal describes something the law forbids. Driving with a valid licence is legal; driving without one is illegal. The prefix "il-" flips the meaning to what breaks the law rather than what follows it.
What is an example of legal used in a sentence?
You might say, "She sought legal advice before signing," or "The contract is legal and binding." In the first, legal points to the field of law; in the second, it means allowed by law. Both senses tie back to law and its rules.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include legal:
