legality

noun

le·​gal·​i·​ty li-ˈga-lə-tē How to pronounce legality (audio)
plural legalities
1
: attachment to or observance of law
2
: the quality or state of being legal : lawfulness
3
legalities plural : obligations imposed by law

Examples of legality in a Sentence

the senator questioned the legality of the proposed surveillance operation
Recent Examples on the Web Landmark decision in Texas The Supreme Court reaffirms the legality of race-conscious college admissions in Fisher v. University of Texas, ruling that the use of race as a factor at the University of Texas at Austin is well founded and narrowly tailored. Emma Kumer, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 In November, the court agreed to hear the case of Garland vs. Cargill to decide the legality of the ATF regulation. David G. Savage, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024 In response, the Justice Department promised to review the legality of bump stocks, but A.T.F. officials had privately indicated that any ban would likely require action by Congress, where bipartisan action has often stalled. Abbie Vansickle, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024 Not all nude depictions of children are legally considered pornographic, so without more information about what the photos depict, their legality is unclear. Kat Tenbarge, NBC News, 27 Feb. 2024 The defense argued that the trio had no reason to doubt the legality of the pages. Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 This week, hearings began over a separate inquiry into the legality of Israel’s more-than-half-century of occupation and control over Palestinian territories seized in the wake of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024 While Washington supports seizing the $280 billion worth of frozen assets, Europe is divided, with some countries worried about the legality of such a move. Peter Vanham, Fortune Europe, 20 Feb. 2024 The legality of an employer taking disciplinary action based on an employee's hair color can depend on various factors. Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'legality.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of legality was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near legality

Cite this Entry

“Legality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legality. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

legality

noun
le·​gal·​i·​ty li-ˈgal-ət-ē How to pronounce legality (audio)
plural legalities
1
: the quality or state of being legal : lawfulness
2
: something that is required by law

Legal Definition

legality

noun
le·​gal·​i·​ty li-ˈga-lə-tē How to pronounce legality (audio)
plural legalities
1
: attachment to or observance of law
2
: the quality or state of being legal : lawfulness
3
plural : obligations imposed by law

More from Merriam-Webster on legality

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