illegal

Meaning

Adj

1. Contrary to, forbidden, or not authorized by law, especially criminal law.
2. Forbidden by established rules.
3. Totally fictitious, and often issued on behalf of a non-existent territory or country.
4. (offensive, sometimes) Being or doing something illegally.
5. (US, offensive, sometimes) Being an illegal immigrant; residing in a country illegally.

Noun

1. (obsolete) An illegal act or technique.
2. (colloquial, in-plural) Contraband, esp. illegal substances such as drugs.
3. (colloquial, offensive) An illegal immigrant.
4. A spy operating abroad illegally and under non-official cover, without visible ties to his or her country’s authorities.

Synonyms

unlawful

illicit

illegitimate

lawless

against the law

criminal

wrongful

prohibited

bootleg

felonious

unfair

wrong

immoral

undue

malfeasant

nefarious

nullified

outlaw

out-of-bounds

secret

㊙️

shady

strike

tortious

unauthorised

unauthorized

uncultivated

underground

under-the-counter

undocumented

unjust

unjustifiable

unlawfulness

unrighteous

unrightful

unsanctioned

unwarranted

wild

wildcat

black-marketeering

outlawed person

unlawful person

unlicensed person

artificial

no ball

bad

👎

clandestine

clever

contraband

dark

darkness

Translations

illégal

illegale

ilegal

illegal

ilegal

παράνομος

illegaal

αθέμιτος

onwettig

unrechtmäßig

gesetzeswidrig

il·legal

rechtswidrig

gesetzwidrig

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɪˈliːɡəl/

Etymology

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.