legale Italian · revision 38234

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1275, Florentine translation of Albertano da Brescia|origins=la lēx}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /leˈɡa.le/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''legale''' ''m'' or ''f'' (plural ''legali''), adjective and noun^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|legalis|alt=lēgālis|t=of the law]], from [[m|la|lēx|t=law]], formed like [[m|la|rēgālis|t=royal]] from [[m|la|rēx|t=king]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) The Latin adjective was formed with the suffix [[m|la|-ālis]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Some of its political and legal uses follow French: [[legalizzare]] is from [[fr|légaliser]], and [[medicina legale|t=forensic medicine]] may copy [[m|fr|médecine légale]], recorded from 1812.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The same Latin adjective passed through [[fro|leel]] into Italian as [[leale|t=loyal]], the popular doublet of this word.^(REW 1935)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) [[fr|légal]] (14th century) and [[es|legal]] are learned words of the same kind.^(GDLI)^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|2193)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's earliest record is a Florentine translation of Albertano da Brescia of 1275, where ''legale'' means “established and ordered by law”.^(TLIO) DELI's first date is Dante's ''Convivio'' (1304–1308), for “of the law”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old Italian ''legale'' could also mean “loyal, upright”, the same as ''leale'': Bonvesin de la Riva, before 1315, has it in this sense, and with it ''legaltà''.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)^(Nocentini 2010) Other early senses were “just” and “concerning legal learning”, and an ''abito legale'' was the dress of men of law.^(TLIO) Cavalca speaks of the ''osservanze legali'', the observances of the Mosaic law.^(GDLI)

+

+ The noun, “lawyer, attorney”, appears in Anton Maria Salvini, before 1729.^(DELI 1999) From the 16th century came ''legalità'' (before 1580), ''legalizzare'' “to authenticate a document” (1576), and ''illegale'' (1688).^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Nineteenth-century usage added ''studio legale'', a lawyer's office (1869), and the political ''legalitario'', “acting only by lawful means” (1890 or 1899).^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Many fixed terms of law and administration are built on the adjective, such as ''numero legale'' “quorum”, ''sede legale'' “registered office” and ''ora legale'' “summer time”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1275 – A Florentine translation of Albertano da Brescia uses ''legale''.^(TLIO)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses it for “of the law”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1315 – Bonvesin de la Riva uses it for “loyal”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1576 – ''Legalizzare'' is recorded in a document.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1688 – ''Illegale'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * Before 1729 – Anton Maria Salvini uses ''legale'' for a lawyer.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1869 – Tommaseo records ''studio legale''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of or concerning the law, [[m|en|legal]], juridical: ''Ho chiesto un parere legale prima di firmare il contratto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Permitted or prescribed by law, [[m|en|lawful]]: ''In quel paese il gioco d'azzardo è legale.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # In a general sense, [[m|en|legitimate]], regular, correct.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|lawyer]], an advocate or other qualified legal adviser: ''L'azienda si è rivolta ai suoi legali.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[legalità]]

+ * [[legalizzare]]

+ * [[legalizzazione]]

+ * [[legalismo]]

+ * [[legalista]]

+ * [[legalitario]]

+ * [[illegale]]

+ * [[illegalità]]

+ * [[legalmente]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[leale]]

+ * [[legge]]

+ * [[la|legalis]]

+ * [[fr|légal]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common terms include ''medicina legale'' “forensic medicine”, ''numero legale'' “quorum”, ''sede legale'' “registered office”, ''ora legale'' “daylight saving time” and ''carta legale'', stamped paper.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}