Main Entry: ¹le·gal

Pronunciation: \ˈlē-gəl\

Function: adjective

Etymology: Anglo-French, from Latin legalis, from leg-, lex law

Date: circa 1500

1 : of or relating to law
2 a : deriving authority from or founded on law : de jure b : having a formal status derived from law often without a basis in actual fact : titular <a corporation is a legal but not a real person> c : established by law; especially : statutory
3 : conforming to or permitted by law or established rules
4 : recognized or made effective by a court of law as distinguished from a court of equity
5 : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of the profession of law or of one of its members
6 : created by the constructions of the law <a legal fiction>

synonyms see lawful

— le·gal·ly \-gə-lē\ adverb