legal
gb/lˈiɡəl/ us/lˈiɡəl/
A2
English
~ 800
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
property
1
Allowed by the law
Allowed by the law of a country or place.
Usage pattern:
[something] is legal
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'legal' with 'legit' or 'legitimate', which can also mean 'reasonable' or 'fair' in non-legal contexts.
Synonyms
lawful (Slightly more formal; often used in legal contexts.)
Antonyms
illegal (Direct opposite; means not allowed by law.)
Collocations
legal rights
|legal system
|legal action
|legal advice
|legal status
Themes
law
|government
|society
Examples
- It is legal to drive at 70 mph on this highway.
- Smoking in restaurants is no longer legal here.
- They are fighting for the legal right to marry.
- The sale of the product is legal in most countries.
Learner examples
- It is legal to park here.
- Drinking alcohol is legal in my country.
- This game is legal to play.
- It is not legal to take that fish.
adjective
B1
property
2
Related to the law
About the law or how it works.
Usage pattern:
legal [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this meaning with 'lawful', which focuses on being allowed by law rather than being about law itself.
Synonyms
judicial (More formal; specifically refers to courts and judges.)
Antonyms
nonlegal (Not related to the law or its processes.)
Collocations
legal profession
|legal system
|legal process
|legal document
Themes
law
|government
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She works as a legal assistant in a large firm.
- The country has a complex legal system.
- He is studying for a legal career.
- These are legal documents that must be signed.
Learner examples
- I want a legal job in a court.
- She reads many legal books.
- He knows about the legal system.
- This is a legal paper.
adjective
formal
B2
property
3
Officially recognized as legitimate
Seen as proper or real because it follows rules or laws.
Usage pattern:
[something] is legal
Synonyms
legitimate (Often interchangeable; 'legitimate' can also refer to moral acceptance.)
Antonyms
illegitimate (Not recognized as lawful or proper.)
Collocations
legal owner
|legal heir
|legal authority
Themes
law
|society
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She is the legal owner of the property.
- He is their legal guardian.
- The court confirmed her as the legal heir.
Learner examples
- He is my legal father.
- She is the legal owner of this car.
- I am the legal guardian of my sister.
Grammar
Dictionary form
legal
IPA
GB/lˈiɡəl/
US/lˈiɡəl/
Syllables & stress
leg - al (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (leg)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: legal
Word family
Expressions
legal advice
1/lˈiɡəl ædvˈaɪs/
fixed phrase
Professional guidance about the law
Help from a lawyer about what the law says you can or cannot do.
Examples
- You should get legal advice before signing the agreement.
- She offered free legal advice to low-income clients.
legal rights
1/lˈiɡəl ɹˈaɪts/
fixed phrase
Rights given by law
The things you are allowed to do because the law says so.
Examples
- Everyone has the same legal rights under the constitution.
- They are fighting for their legal rights in court.
legal status
1/lˈiɡəl stˈætəs/
fixed phrase
Official position under the law
What the law says your position or situation is.
Examples
- They are trying to change their legal status to become permanent residents.
- The new policy affects the legal status of many workers.
legal system
1/lˈiɡəl sˈɪstəm/
fixed phrase
System of laws and courts in a country
How laws and courts are organized in a country.
Examples
- The country's legal system is based on common law.
- Understanding the legal system can be difficult for foreigners.
legal action
1/lˈiɡəl ˈækʃən/
fixed phrase
Process of taking a case to court
Using the law and courts to solve a problem or disagreement.
Examples
- They are threatening legal action over the contract breach.
- The company is considering legal action against its former employee.
- Legal action was taken against the driver.
- They decided to take legal action after the contract was broken.