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ilegal

illegal

adjective ee-leh-GAHL Less Common

Origin: From Latin 'illegalis', from 'in-' (not) + 'legalis' (legal).

Also means

unlawful

Usage Note

Ilegal is invariable in gender: un acto ilegal, una actividad ilegal. It contrasts with legal and ilegítimo (illegitimate). The noun form la ilegalidad means 'illegality'. Learners should note that, unlike English, Spanish frequently uses the noun construction en la ilegalidad ('operating illegally') rather than the adverb ilegalmente.

Examples

"Esa práctica es completamente ilegal en España."

Natural Translation

That practice is completely illegal in Spain.

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