English Explanatory Dictionary

illegal

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Contrary to, forbidden, or not authorized by law, especially criminal law.
  2. Forbidden by established rules.
  3. Totally fictitious, and often issued on behalf of a non-existent territory or country.
  4. Being or doing something illegally.
  5. Being an illegal immigrant; residing in a country illegally.
noun
  1. An illegal act or technique.
  2. Contraband, esp. illegal substances such as drugs.
  3. An illegal immigrant.
  4. A spy operating abroad illegally and under non-official cover, without visible ties to his or her country’s authorities.

Pronunciation

/ɪˈliːɡəl/ ĭ.lē'gəl /ɪˈli.ɡəl/ [ɪɫˈli.ɡəɫ] LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-illegal.wav /ɪlliːɡəl/

Word forms

illegal more illegal illegaler most illegal illegalest illegals

Etymology

Borrowed from French illégal, from Medieval Latin illegalis, from Latin legalis, by surface analysis, il- + legal. In senses relating to immigration, via clipping of illegal alien or illegal immigrant.

Synonyms

criminal felonious illicit irregular crimeful illegal illegitimate lawbreaking nonlawful outlawed unlawful wrongful banned disallowed forbidden impermissible interdicted nonallowed nonlicet prohibited proscribed proscript unallowed unpermitted verboten bogus undocumented illegal immigrant crimmigrant

Antonyms

lawful legal de jure legitimate licit rightful

Derived words

illegal alien illegal combatant illegal forward kick illegal immigrant illegal immigration illegalisation illegalise illegalism illegalist illegalize illegalness illegal number illegal prime
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