Etymologically
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illégal

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /i.le.ɡal/[1]

Forms

illégal (feminine illégale, masculine plural illégaux, feminine plural illégales)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Medieval Latin illēgālis (1269),[2][3][4][5] formed from in- (“not”) and Latin lēgālis (“relating to the laws”), from lēx (“law”).[6][4] It may also be analysed as il- + légal.[1][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Oresme's translation of Aristotle's Ethics (1370–1372) says Et semble que celui est dit injuste qui est illegal, of a person who does not respect the law.[2][7][6]

Semantic evolution

The word applied at first to persons, Raynal (1770) used it of acts contrary to the law in their form, and Benjamin Constant (before 1830) of what opposes law in its foundation (tout despotisme est illégal).[6] The Académie recorded it in 1762.[2] Illégalement dates from 1789, and illégalité from Oresme's time.[2][3] Gautier (1833) used it jokingly for what is improper.[8] In the mid-20th century un illégal was a person living outside the law, a clandestine.[6]

Timeline

  • 1269 – Medieval Latin illegalis.[2]
  • 1370–1372 – Illegal in Oresme.[2]
  • 1762 – In the Académie.[2]
  • 1770 – Of acts, in Raynal.[6]
  • 1789 – Illégalement.[2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Illegal, unlawful: exercice illégal de la médecine, détention illégale.[9][10]

Noun

  1. A person living outside the law, clandestine.[6]

Word family

  • illégalement
  • illégalité

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 5, 241a
  6. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  9. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  10. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)