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légalisation

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Etymology and origin of the French word légalisation

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1690 Furetière More words from the 17th century
Ultimate origin
French légal,-iser,-ation
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French légaliser
French légalisation

Forms

légalisation f (plural légalisations)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French légaliser + -ation.[2][3][4][5] The verb, recorded from 1681, is derived from légal, which was borrowed from Latin lēgālis (“relating to the law”).[3][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Furetière's dictionary of 1690 records it both for the act of authenticating a document and for the certificate itself.[5][2]

Semantic evolution

Its first use is administrative: the certificate in which a competent official vouches for the authenticity of a signature on a document, so that it can be relied upon elsewhere, as the verb légaliser meant “to attest the authenticity of” from 1681.[2][6] When the verb took on the sense “to make conformable to the law” (1789), the noun followed, and the act of making something legal is now its everyday sense.[6][7]

Timeline

  • 1681 – The verb légaliser “to authenticate” is recorded.[6][3]
  • 1690 – Furetière records légalisation.[2][3]
  • 1789 – Légaliser is first used for making something legal.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (law) The authentication of a signature on a document by a public official, and the certificate attesting it.[2][7][8]
  2. The act of making something legal, legalization.[7][2][1]

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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 c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  6. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
Cite this entry

“Légalisation.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/l%C3%A9galisation. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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