adj.
Pronunciation: ' l ē -g ə l
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 \ -g ə -l ē \ adverb