Etymologically
Log in

légaliser

History Permalink

Etymology and origin of the French word légaliser

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1668 Constitutions et instructions synodales de S. François de Sales More words from the 17th century
Ultimate origin
Latin lex
Derivations

Pronunciation

  • /le.ɡa.li.ze/[1]

Forms

légaliser[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French légal + -iser.[2][1] The adjective was borrowed in 1374, in Oresme, from Latin lēgālis (“relating to the law”), a word of the family of lēx (“law”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found as the past participle légalisé in 1668, meaning “made authentic, certified”, in an edition of the synodal constitutions of Francis de Sales.[2][4] The verb itself, “to attest the authenticity of”, is dated 1681.[4][5][3]

Semantic evolution

The first sense belongs to administration: to certify that a signature, a document or a copy is genuine, so that it is accepted outside the place where it was drawn up.[2][6] The sense “to make legal” appeared at the time of the Revolution: the TLFi and the DHLF date it to 1789, in Sieyès's pamphlet on the Third Estate, while the GLLF cites Chamfort, before 1794.[2][4][7] The derivative légalisation is recorded in 1690.[3][4]

Timeline

  • 1668 – The past participle légalisé “certified”.[2][4]
  • 1681 – The verb in the sense “to certify as authentic”.[7][5][3]
  • 1690 – The derivative légalisation is recorded.[3][4]
  • 1789 – Sieyès uses it in the sense “to make legal”.[2][4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To certify as authentic by an official authority: faire légaliser une procuration.[8][9][2]
  2. To make legal, to bring within the law: légaliser le cannabis.[8][10][9]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
  10. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Légaliser.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/l%C3%A9galiser. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·