legal
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/2
Legal and lawful both describe actions permitted by the law, but lawful carries a more formal and often moral or ethical tone — it suggests not just technical permission but also justice and righteousness. Legitimate is broader: it can mean 'lawful' in a strict sense, but it more often describes something that is reasonable, acceptable, or justified according to widely held standards rather than written statutes (e.g. 'a legitimate concern', 'a legitimate question'). Legalistic is nearly always negative: it describes someone who follows the exact letter of the law in an overly strict way, ignoring the spirit or purpose behind the rules. For example, a legalistic interpretation of a contract might insist on a minor technicality to avoid paying a fair debt, whereas a lawful approach would consider the contract's overall intent.
Common collocations
Etymology
Legal comes from the Latin word legalis, meaning 'of or relating to the law'. This in turn came from lex (genitive legis), the Latin word for 'law'. The term entered English through Old French in the 15th century, originally carrying the same meaning of 'pertaining to the law'. Over time, the sense of 'permitted by law' developed alongside the original relational meaning.