# legal

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈliː.ɡəl/ · frequency rank #878

## Definitions
1. Relating to the law or to lawyers.
2. Having its basis in the law.
3. Being established, permitted, required or prescribed by law.
4. Following the rules or syntax of a system, such as a game or a programming language.
5. Above the age of consent or the legal drinking age.
6. Permitting the use and/or sale of cannabis; in which cannabis is lawful.
7. Of paper or document layouts, measuring 8+¹⁄₂ × 14 inches (216 × 356 mm).
8. Of paper or document layouts, measuring 8+¹⁄₂ × 13 inches (216 × 330 mm).

## Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin lēgālis (“legal”), from lēx (“law”). Doublet of loyal and leal.

## Easily confused with
- **lel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/legal-vs-lel)
- **legs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/legal-vs-legs)
- **Lego** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/legal-vs-lego)
- **Lena** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/legal-vs-lena)
- **LIGA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/legal-vs-liga)
- **Leia** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/legal-vs-leia)
- **local** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/legal-vs-local)
- **level** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/legal-vs-level)
- **loyal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/legal-vs-loyal)
- **logan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/legal-vs-logan)
- **legit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/legal-vs-legit)
- **leger** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/legal-vs-leger)
- **lethal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/legal-vs-lethal)
- **legally** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/legal-vs-legally)
- **leg** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leg-vs-legal)
- **lea** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lea-vs-legal)
- **lead** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lead-vs-legal)
- **leaf** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaf-vs-legal)
- **lean** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lean-vs-legal)
- **leak** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leak-vs-legal)

## Common misspellings (7)
`elgal`, `leagl`, `legall`, `leggal`, `legla`, `lgeal`, `llegal`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/legal