illegal

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Not allowed by the law.

   It is illegal to drive without a licence.

2. 2
   adj

   Forbidden by the rules of a game or activity.

   Moving a pawn backward is an illegal move in chess.

Borrowed from French illégal, from Medieval Latin illegalis, from Latin legalis, by surface analysis, il- + legal. In senses relating to immigration, via clipping of illegal alien or illegal immigrant.

Topics