English
illegal
Illegal comes from French illégal, from Medieval Latin illegalis, from in- ‘not’ + lēgālis ‘legal’, from lēx ‘law’.
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*lēks‘law’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElēx‘law’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElēgālis‘legal’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500illegalis
- Frenchc. 1600–presentillégal‘illegal’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1650illegal
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*lēks‘law’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElēx‘law’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElēgālis‘legal’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500illegalis
- Frenchc. 1600–presentillégal‘illegal’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1650illegal
Earliest quotation: c. 1650, John Spalding, Aberdeen: T. Evans: “That whatſoever illegals hath been uſed againſt his friends…”
The story
In senses relating to immigration, via clipping of illegal alien or illegal immigrant.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *legʰ- ‘to lie’
law, low, lie, lawyer, fellow, layer, log, litter, ledger, lair, ledge, lawless, lees, lig, underlay, leaguer, lias, lagan, 19 more
through Latin lex ‘the legal machinery of a state, the law’
college, lay, legacy, colleague, delegation, lex, delegate, collegiate, disloyalty, relegate, legate, collegium, 7 more
through Latin legalis ‘legal’
Today it means
adj Contrary to, forbidden, or not authorized by law, especially criminal law.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *lēks / illegal