legal
adjective · noun
Simple meaning
About or characteristic of the profession of law.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
leeguhlSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈliɡəl
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
adjective
Relating to or characteristic of the profession of law
Relating to the law or to lawyers.
Having its basis in the law.
Being established, permitted, required or prescribed by law.
Permitting the use and/or sale of cannabis; in which cannabis is lawful.
canadaus
Of paper or document layouts, measuring 8+¹⁄₂ × 14 inches (216 × 356 mm).
noun
uncountablecanadaus
A paper sheet or document measuring 8+¹⁄₂ × 14 inches (216 × 356 mm).
countableinformalus
One who immigrated lawfully.
uncountableinformal
The legal department of a company or organization.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A1 · Beginner
- Frequency
- Very Common
- Typical Use
- Varies by meaning
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Relating to or characteristic of the profession of law
Used this way, legal is a specialist word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. This is a legal use: the wording is institutional and carries a defined meaning in law rather than a loose everyday one.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Specialist/technical
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Specialized
- Connotation
- Clinical and technical
- Usage feel
- Technical and specialized
Where it naturally appears
- Law/legal
- Government/politics
- Academic writing
Usage note
In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use legal
- “You should seek legal advice before signing that contract.”adjective
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Tap the highlighted word to open its own entry.
Similar Words, What’s the Difference?
Close in meaning, but not always interchangeable.
Of or pertaining to law.
Founded in law; legal; valid; not defective.
In accordance with the law or established legal forms and requirements.
Specified by a civil bill court under the terms of the Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1881.
Conformable to or allowed by law.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Word family
Words built from the same root.
Lawfulness by virtue of conformity to a legal statute.
By law.
Make legal.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Acts which the law requires be done or forborne.
A legal scholar versed in civil law or the law of nations.
A fee paid for legal service.
Comprises all acts or omissions or concealments involving breach of equitable or legal duty or trust or confidence.
A person (or institution) to whom legal title to property is entrusted to use for another's benefit.
Authorized by law and limiting work or official business.
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
- illegaladjective
- legallyadverb
- counselnoun
- litigationnoun
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Words can change meaning depending on context.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.