What does legal mean?
Legal most often means permitted, valid, or recognized under the law: a legal contract, a legal right, and legal advice all involve the law or lawful authorization. It can also refer more broadly to the legal system, lawyers, courts, and legal procedure, as in legal history or legal services. In everyday and informal contexts, legal means officially authorized or socially acceptable, distinguishing a legal version of software from an unofficial copy or describing music or fashion that is approved rather than prohibited. The noun legal is an informal term for a legal action or proceeding, while the adverb is mainly used in phrases such as legal music, meaning acceptable or approved. Legal is therefore useful not only for identifying what the law permits but also for describing official, legitimate, or culturally approved choices.
Permitted, valid, or recognized under the law; concerning law or the legal system; officially authorized.
"The court ruled that the agreement was legal and enforceable."
This is the dominant and standard part of speech. In British and American English, legal commonly appears in technical, formal, and everyday contexts.
An informal term for a legal action, proceeding, or transaction.
"The company threatened legal after the negotiations failed."
This noun is informal and most common in American English; the standard alternatives are legal action, lawsuit, or legal proceeding.
In a lawful, acceptable, or officially approved manner.
"The band played the final song as legal."
This use is informal and is especially associated with music, fashion, and cultural expressions.
Rare and informal; usually refers to legal actions, documents, or proceedings.
"The team reviewed the legals before signing the contract."
Legal comes from the Latin legalis, meaning “of or according to law”; adding the small prefix in- to create “illegal” produces an enormous change in meaning.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does legal come from?
Legal entered English through Old French legal, which came from Latin legalis, meaning “of or according to law.” That form was derived from legis, the genitive of lex, meaning “law.” The same Latin law-root also underlies related forms including lawful, legitimate, legislate, and legislature, while legal developed both its technical legal senses and its broader informal meanings.
Related word forms
How legal is actually used
The word is formal and especially common in law, government, business, and journalism. In its meanings of officially approved or acceptable, it is more informal, and its use for music, clothing, or other cultural styles can sound playful or approving.
Easily confused with legal
Legal concerns what the law permits or regulates, whereas legible means easy to read or decipher.