The difference between Illegal and Legal

When used as nouns, illegal means an illegal act or technique, whereas legal means the legal department of a company.

When used as adjectives, illegal means contrary to or forbidden by law, especially criminal law, whereas legal means relating to the law or to lawyers.

check bellow for the other definitions of Illegal and Legal

  1. Illegal as an adjective:

    Contrary to or forbidden by law, especially criminal law.

    Examples:

    "This is illegal, you know!"

    "Nearly 40 million people live in UK areas with illegal air pollution"

    "their illegal mining operations in Asia, Africa and elsewhere, are protected by officials and police paid to look the other way – and powerful customers in the construction industry who prefer not to ask too many questions."

  2. Illegal as an adjective:

    Forbidden by established rules.

    Examples:

    "Moving a pawn backward is an illegal move in chess."

  3. Illegal as an adjective (philately, of an [[issue]] printed for collectors):

    Totally fictitious, and often issued on behalf of a non-existent territory or country.

  4. Illegal as an adjective (of a person, sometimes, _, offensive):

    Being or doing something illegally.

    Examples:

    "'illegal immigrant; illegal logger; illegal pilot"

  5. Illegal as an adjective (chiefly, US, sometimes, offensive):

    Being an illegal immigrant; residing in a country illegally.

  1. Illegal as a noun (obsolete):

    An illegal act or technique.

  2. Illegal as a noun (colloquial, plural, as '''''[[illegals]]'''''):

    Contraband, esp. illegal substances such as drugs.

  3. Illegal as a noun (colloquial, offensive):

    An illegal immigrant.

  4. Illegal as a noun (espionage):

    A spy working abroad illegally and undercover, without visible ties to his or her country's authorities.

  1. Legal as an adjective:

    Relating to the law or to lawyers.

    Examples:

    "'legal profession"

  2. Legal as an adjective:

    Having its basis in the law.

    Examples:

    "'legal precedent"

  3. Legal as an adjective:

    Being allowed or prescribed by law.

    Examples:

    "'legal motion"

  4. Legal as an adjective (informal):

    Above the age of consent or the legal drinking age.

  1. Legal as a noun (uncountable, informal):

    The legal department of a company.

    Examples:

    "Legal wants this in writing."

  2. Legal as a noun (uncountable, US, Canada):

    Paper in sheets 8½ in × 14 in (215.9 mm × 355.6 mm).

  3. Legal as a noun (countable):

    A spy who is attached to, and ostensibly employed by, an embassy, military outpost, etc.

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