le ‧ gal ‧ ize BrE AmE ( also legalise British English ) /ˈliːɡəlaɪz/ verb [transitive]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ legality ≠ ↑ illegality , ↑ legalization , ↑ legalese , ↑ illegal ; adjective : ↑ legal ≠ ↑ illegal , ↑ legalistic ; verb : ↑ legalize ; adverb : ↑ legally ≠ ↑ illegally ]
to make something legal so that people are allowed to do it OPP criminalize :
Abortion was legalized in the 1960s.
—legalization /ˌliːɡəlaɪˈzeɪʃ ə n $ -lə-/ noun [uncountable] :
a campaign calling for the legalization of certain drugs