illegal

Meanings

Adjective

• Contrary to or forbidden by law, especially criminal law.
• Forbidden by established rules.
• Totally fictitious, and often issued on behalf of a non-existent territory or country.
• Being or doing something illegally.
• Being an illegal immigrant; residing in a country illegally.

Noun

• An illegal act or technique.
• Contraband, esp. illegal substances such as drugs.
• An illegal immigrant.
• A spy working abroad illegally and undercover, without visible ties to his or her country’s authorities.

Related

Similar words

• criminal, felonious, illicit, unlawful, irregular
• bogus
• undocumented
• crimmigrant, illegal immigrant

Opposite words

• lawful, legal

Origin

• Borrowed from French illégal, from Medieval Latin illegalis, from Latin legalis. In senses relating to immigration, via clipping from illegal alien or illegal immigrant.