First Known Use: 1506
Dictionary
illicit
adjective il·lic·it \(ˌ)i(l)-ˈli-sət\
: not allowed by law : unlawful or illegal
: involving activities that are not considered morally acceptable
Full Definition of ILLICIT
: not permitted : unlawful
— il·lic·it·ly adverb
See illicit defined for English-language learners
See illicit defined for kids
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Examples of ILLICIT
- The wedding is mounted in traditional Punjabi style, but underneath the formal fanfare simmer dysfunctional-family tensions, deep dark secrets, … and illicit affairs. —David Ansen, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2002
- “Thank you, Lieutenant,” she said, bowing her head, just as she might in everyday, civilian life, and I felt suddenly illicit in her presence, as though we'd slipped out of sight of our chaperons … —Chang-rae Lee, A Gesture Life, 1999
- The companies that carry cellular … have adopted a number of monitoring techniques to detect illicit calls … —Paul Wallich, Scientific American, March 1994
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Origin of ILLICIT
Latin illicitus, from in- + licitus lawful — more at licit
Related to ILLICIT
- Antonyms
- lawful, legal, legitimate
Other Legal Terms
ILLICIT Defined for Kids
illicit
adjective il·lic·it \i-ˈli-sət\
Definition of ILLICIT for Kids
: not permitted : unlawful
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