legal English · revision 2596

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1447 (Bokenham's Legends of Holy Women)|origins=la lēx}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈliː.ɡəl/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|frm|légal]] or directly [[bor|la|lēgālis|t=pertaining to the law]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) from [[m|la|lēx|t=law]], genitive lēgis,^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) probably related to [[m|la|legere|t=to gather]], as a collection of rules,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(Klein 1966) from [[ine-pro|*leǵ-|alt=*leg-|t=to collect, gather]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) The usual Old French form of the word was leial, loial, the source of [[loyal]] and [[leal]], so ''legal'' and ''loyal'' are doublets.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) It is not related to [[law]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of or relating to the law: the mid-15th century,^(Etymonline) 1447 in Bokenham's ''Legends of Holy Women''.^(Barnhart 1988) The OED's first quotation is from 1529.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ “Required or appointed by law” is from 1610,^(OED 1989) and “permitted by law” from the 1640s.^(Etymonline) Something belonging to the legal profession is ''legal'' from 1819.^(OED 1989) ''Legal tender'' is from 1740^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and ''legal holiday'' from 1867.^(Etymonline) ''Legal beagle'' and ''legal eagle'', rhyming names for a lawyer, are from 1949.^(OED 1989) The noun, something that conforms to rules or laws, is from 1526.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1447 – relating to law.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1526 – noun.^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1610 – required by law.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1640s – permitted by law.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1740 – ''legal tender''.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1819 – of the legal profession.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1949 – ''legal eagle''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Relating to the [[law]] or to [[lawyer|alt=lawyers]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Permitted by law; [[lawful]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Established or required by law.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # Something that conforms to the rules.^(AHD)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[legally]]

+ * [[legal-size]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[loyal]]

+ * [[leal]]

+ * [[legislate]]

+ * [[legitimate]]

+ * [[privilege]]

+ * [[legacy]]

+ * [[illegal]]

+ * [[legality]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}