semilegal

S1E1M3I1L1E1G2A1L1

adjective

Of partial or questionable legality.

Scrabble 12
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Meanings

adjectivesemilegal (not comparable)
  1. not comparableOf partial or questionable legality.

    "Landlords are buying these buildings knowing that they can use illegal and semilegal means to push out the low-paying tenants," said Mr. Dulchin, whose group supports the bill backed by Ms. Quinn.

    2007 December 24, Manny Fernandez, “Dueling Bills in the Fight Over Housing”, in New York Times

Origin

From semi- + legal. Piecewise doublet of semiloyal.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

misallege
Cite this entry
APA

semilegal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/semilegal

MLA

“semilegal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/semilegal. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “semilegal,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/semilegal.

Source: semilegal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.