Illegal vs. Legal: What's the Difference?
Illegal and Legal Definitions
Illegal
Prohibited by law.
Legal
Of, relating to, or concerned with law
Legal papers.
Illegal
Prohibited by official rules
An illegal pass in football.
Legal
Established or recognized by law
A legal right.
Illegal
Unacceptable to or not performable by a computer
An illegal operation.
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Legal
Authorized by law
The legal owner.
Illegal
A person who is not legally authorized to live and work in a country.
Legal
Established legally other than by statute, as by a judicial opinion
A legal authority.
Illegal
Contrary to or forbidden by law, especially criminal law.
This is illegal, you know!
Nearly 40 million people live in UK areas with illegal air pollution
Their illegal mining operations in Asia, Africa and elsewhere, are protected by officials and police paid to look the other way – and powerful customers in the construction industry who prefer not to ask too many questions.
Legal
In conformity with or permitted by law
Legal business operations.
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Illegal
Breaching certain enacted statutes of positive law; not lawful, not legal (cf. immoral, unethical)
Legal
Recognized or enforced by law rather than by equity.
Illegal
Forbidden by established rules.
Moving a pawn backward is an illegal move in chess.
Legal
In terms of or created by the law
A legal offense.
Illegal
Totally fictitious, and often issued on behalf of a non-existent territory or country.
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Legal
Applicable to or characteristic of attorneys or their profession.
Illegal
Being or doing something illegally.
Illegal immigrant
Illegal logger
Illegal pilot
Legal
Acceptable or allowable under official rules
A legal forward pass.
Illegal
Being an illegal immigrant; residing in a country illegally.
Legal
A person who is legally authorized to live and work in a country.
Illegal
(obsolete) An illegal act or technique.
Legal
A person or department providing legal assistance.
Illegal
Contraband, esp. illegal substances such as drugs.
Legal
A legal notice, especially an advertisement.
Illegal
An illegal immigrant.
Legal
Relating to the law or to lawyers.
Legal profession
Illegal
(espionage) A spy working abroad illegally and undercover, without visible ties to his or her country’s authorities.
Legal
Having its basis in the law.
Legal precedent
Illegal
Not according to, or authorized by, law; specif., contrary to, or in violation of, human law; unlawful; illicit; hence, immoral; as, an illegal act; illegal trade; illegal love.
Legal
Being allowed or prescribed by law.
Legal motion
Illegal
Prohibited by law or by official or accepted rules;
An illegal chess move
Legal
Following the rules or syntax of a system, such as a game or a programming language.
If you have no legal move, but are not in check the game is a draw.
Legal
(informal) Above the age of consent or the legal drinking age.
Legal
(of paper or document layouts) Measuring 8½ in × 14 in (215.9 mm × 355.6 mm) (also legal-size).
Legal
The legal department of a company.
Legal wants this in writing.
Legal
Paper in sheets 8½ in × 14 in (215.9 mm × 355.6 mm).
Legal
(countable) A spy who is attached to, and ostensibly employed by, an embassy, military outpost, etc.
Legal
Somebody who immigrated lawfully.
Legal
Created by, permitted by, in conformity with, or relating to, law; as, a legal obligation; a legal standard or test; a legal procedure; a legal claim; a legal trade; anything is legal which the laws do not forbid.
Legal
According to the law of works, as distinguished from free grace; or resting on works for salvation.
Legal
Governed by the rules of law as distinguished from the rules of equity; as, legal estate; legal assets.
Legal
Established by or founded upon law or official or accepted rules
Legal
Of or relating to jurisprudence;
Legal loophole
Legal
Having legal efficacy or force;
A sound title to the property
Legal
Relating to or characteristic of the profession of law;
The legal profession
Legal
Allowed by official rules;
A legal pass receiver
