Online Etymology Dictionary

legal: mid-15c. "of or pertaining to the law," from L. legalis "legal, pertaining to the law," from lex (gen. legis) "law," possibly related to legere "to gather," on notion of "a collection of rules" (see lecture). Sense of "permitted by law" is from 1640s. The O.Fr. form was leial, loial (see leal, loyal). Related: Legality. Legal tender is from 1740.
legalese: "the language of legal documents," 1914, from legal + language name ending -ese.
legalistic: 1882, from legalist (1640s); see legal + -ist.
legalize: 1716, from legal + -ize. Related: Legalization (1805).
abeyance: 1520s, from Anglo-Fr. abeiance "suspension," also "expectation (especially in a lawsuit)," from O.Fr. abeance "aspiration, desire," noun of condition of abeer "aspire after, gape" from à "at" + ba(y)er "be open," from L. *batare "to yawn, gape" (see abash). Originally in O.Fr. a legal term, "condition of a person in expectation or hope of receiving property;" it turned around in Eng. law to mean "condition of property temporarily without an owner" (1650s). Root baer is also the source of English bay (2) "recessed space," as in "bay window."
accessory: also accessary (n.), early 15c. as a legal term in the criminal sense of "one aiding in a crime;" adj. meaning "aiding in crime" is from c.1600; both from L.L. accessorius, from accessor, agent noun from accedere (see access). Attested from 1896 as "woman's smaller articles of dress," hence accessorize (1939).
banal: "trite, commonplace," 1840, from Fr. banal, adj., "belonging to a manor, common, hackneyed, commonplace," from O.Fr. banel "communal" (13c.), from ban "decree; legal control; announcement; authorization; payment for use of a communal oven, mill, etc." (see ban (v.)). The modern sense evolved from the word's use in designating things like ovens or mills that belonged to feudal serfs, or else compulsory military service; in either case it was generalized in French through "open to everyone" to "commonplace, ordinary," to "trite, petty."
caption: late 14c., "taking, seizure," from O.Fr. capcion, from L. capito pp. of capere "to take" (see capable). Sense evolved from headings of legal indictments involving seizure ("Certificate of caption"), the word being taken to mean the beginning of any document; thus "heading of a chapter or section of an article" (1789), and, especially in U.S., "description or title below an illustration" (1919).
dame: early 13c., from O.Fr. dame, from L.L. domna, from L. domina "lady, mistress of the house," from L. domus "house" (see domestic). Legal title for the wife of a knight or baronet. Slang sense of "woman" first attested 1902 in Amer.Eng.
damn: late 13c., "to condemn," from O.Fr. damner, derivative of L. verb damnare, from noun damnum "damage, loss, hurt." Latin word evolved a legal meaning of "pronounce judgment upon." Theological sense is first recorded early 14c.; the optative expletive use likely is as old. Damn and its derivatives generally were avoided in print from 18c. to c.1930s (the famous line in "Gone with the Wind" was a breakthrough and required much effort by the studio). To be not worth a damn is from 1817. Damn Yankee, characteristic Southern U.S. term for "Northerner," is attested from 1812.
deed: O.E. dæd "a doing, act," from P.Gmc. *dædis, related to "do," from PIE *dhetis, from *dhe-/*dho- "place, put." Sense of "written legal document" is c.1300.
defendant: c.1400, in the legal sense, from Fr. défendant, prp. of défendre (see defend). General sense of "defender" is from 1530s; earliest use in English was as a prp. meaning "defending" (eary 14c.).
easement: late 14c., from O.Fr. aisement "ease," from aisier "to ease," from aise (see ease). The meaning "legal right or privilege of using something not one's own" is from mid-15c.
fascism: 1922, originally used in English 1920 in its Italian form (see fascist). Applied to similar groups in Germany from 1923; applied to everyone since the rise of the Internet.
"A form of political behavior marked by obsessive preoccupation with community decline, humiliation or victimhood and by compensatory cults of unity, energy and purity, in which a mass-based party of committed nationalist militants, working in uneasy but effective collaboration with traditional elites, abandons democratic liberties and pursues with redemptive violence and without ethical or legal restraints goals of internal cleansing and external expansion." [Robert O. Paxton, "The Anatomy of Fascism," 2004]
fatwa: 1625, from Arabic fetwa "a decision given by a mufti," related to fata "to instruct by a legal decision." Popularized 1989 when Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran issued a ruling sentencing author Salman Rushdie to death for publishing "The Satanic Verses" (1988). It was lifted 1998.
garnish: c.1300, from O.Fr. garniss-, stem of garnir "provide, furnish, defend," from P.Gmc. *warnejan "be cautious, guard, provide for" (cf. O.E. warnian "to take warning, beware;" see warn). Sense evolution is from "arm oneself" to "fit out" to "embellish," which was the earliest meaning in English, though the others also were used in M.E. Culinary sense of "to decorate a dish for the table" predominated after c.1700. Older meaning survives in legal sense of "warning of attachment of funds" (1580s). Related: Garnished; garnishing; garnishee; garnishment.
hang: a fusion of O.E. hon "suspend" (transitive, class VII strong verb; past tense heng, pp. hangen), and O.E. hangian (weak, intransitive, past tense hangode) "be suspended;" also probably influenced by O.N. hengja "suspend," and hanga "be suspended." All from P.Gmc. *khang-, from PIE *keng- "to waver, be in suspense" (cf. Goth. hahan, Hittite gang- "to hang," Skt. sankate "wavers," L. cunctari "to delay;" see also second element in Stonehenge). Hung emerged as pp. 16c. in northern England dial., and hanged endured only in legal language (which tends to be conservative) and metaphors extended from it (I'll be hanged). Teen slang sense of "spend time" first recorded 1951; hang around "idle, loiter" is from 1830, and hang out (v.) is from 1844. Hang fire (1781) was originally used of guns that were slow in communicating the fire through the vent to the charge. Hanger-on is from 1549. To get the hang of (something) "understand" is from 1845. Hang-up "psychological fixation" is first attested 1959. To let it all hang out "be relaxed and uninhibited" is from 1970.
ignoramus: 1577, Anglo-Fr. legal term, from L. ignoramus "we do not know," first person present indicative of ignorare "not to know" (see ignorant). The legal term was one a grand jury could write on a bill when it considered the prosecution's evidence insufficient. Sense of "ignorant person" came from the title role of George Ruggle's 1615 play satirizing the ignorance of common lawyers.
illegal: 1626, from M.L. illegalis, from L. in- "not" (with assimilation of -n- to the following consonant) + legalis (see legal). Term illegal immigrant first recorded 1939 in ref. to Jews entering Palestine without authorization during the British mandate.
implement (n.): 1454, from L.L. implementem "a filling up" (as with provisions), from L. implere "to fill," from in- "in" + plere "to fill" (see plenary). Sense of "tool" is 1538, from notion of things provided to do work, that which "fills up" a house, etc. The verb is 1806, originally chiefly in Scot., where it was a legal term meaning "fulfillment." It led to the wretched formation implementation, first recorded 1926.
jail: c.1275, gayhol, from O.N.Fr. gaiole and O.Fr. jaole, both meaning "a cage, prison," from M.L. gabiola, from L.L. caveola, dim. of L. cavea "cage." Both forms carried into M.E.; now pronounced "jail" however it is spelled. Norman-derived gaol (preferred in Britain) is "chiefly due to statutory and official tradition" [OED]. The verb "to put in jail" is from 1604. Jailbird is 1603, an allusion to a caged bird. Jail-break "prison escape" is from 1910. Jail bait "girl under the legal age of consent" is attested from 1934.
lapse: 1520s, "slip of the memory," from M.Fr. laps "lapse," from L. lapsus "a slipping and falling, flight (of time), falling into error," from labi "to slip, glide, fall." Meaning "a moral slip" is from 1580s; that of "a falling away from one's faith" is from 1650s. Legal sense of "termination of a right or privilege" first recorded 1560s. The verb is first attested 1640s. Related: Lapsed; lapses.
natural: c.1300, naturel, "of one's inborn character, of the world of nature (especially as opposed to man)," from O.Fr. naturel, from L. naturalis "by birth, according to nature," from natura "nature" (see nature). Meaning "easy, free from affectation" is attested from c.1600. As a euphemism for "illegitimate, bastard" (of children), it is first recorded 1580s, on notion of blood kinship (but not legal status). The noun sense of "person with a natural gift or talent" is first attested 1925, originally in prizefighting. Natural-born first attested 1580s. Natural order "apparent order in nature" is from 1690s. Natural childbirth first attested 1933. Natural life, usually in ref. to the duration of life, is from late 15c. Natural history is from 1560s (see history). To die of natural causes is from 1570s.
probable: late 14c., from O.Fr. probable (14c.), from L. probabilis "provable," from probare "to try, to test" (see prove). Probable cause as a legal term is attested from 1670s.
process (n.): early 14c., "fact of being carried on" (e.g. in process), from O.Fr. proces "journey" (13c.), from L. processus "process, advance, progress," from pp. stem of procedere "go forward" (see proceed). Meaning "course or method of action" is from mid-14c.; sense of "continuous series of actions meant to accomplish some result" (the main modern sense) is from 1620s. Legal sense of "course of action of a suit at law" is attested from early 14c. Verb meaning "prepare by special process" first recorded 1884; processor is 1909; data processor is 1958; word processor is c.1974; food processor is 1977.
prosecute: early 15c., "follow up, pursue" (some course or action), from L. prosecutus, pp. of prosequi "follow after" (see pursue). Meaning "bring to a court of law" is first recorded 1570s. Prosecutor in legal sense is attested from 1660s; prosecution in this sense is from 1630s.
proviso: 1467, from M.L. proviso (quod) "provided (that)," phrase at the beginning of clauses in legal documents (1350), from L. proviso "it being provided," abl. neut. of provisus, pp. of providere (see provide).
purview: 1442, "body of a statute," from Anglo-Fr. purveuest "it is provided," or purveu que "provided that" (1275), clauses that introduced statutes in old legal documents, from O.Fr. porveu "provided," pp. of porveoir "to provide," from L. providere (see provide). Sense of "scope, extent" is first recorded 1788 in "Federalist" (Madison). Modern sense and spelling influenced by view.
question (n.): c.1300, from Anglo-Fr. questiun, O.Fr. question "legal inquest," from L. quæstionem (nom. quæstio) "a seeking, inquiry," from root of quærere (pp. quæsitus) "ask, seek" (see query). The verb is first recorded 1470, from O.Fr. questionner (13c.). Question mark is from 1869, earlier question stop (1862). Depreciatory sense of questionable is attested from 1806.
quibble: 1611, "a pun, a play on words," probably a dim. of quib "evasion of point at issue" (c.1550), from L. quibus "by what (things)?," dative and ablative plural of quid "what," neut. of quis (see who). The word's overuse in legal jargon supposedly gave it the association with trivial argument. Meaning "equivocation, evasion of the point" is attested from 1670. The verb in this sense is from 1656.
rape (v.): late 14c., "seize prey, take by force," from Anglo-Fr. raper, O.Fr. raper "to seize, abduct," a legal term, from L. rapere "seize, carry off by force, abduct" (see rapid). L. rapere was used for "sexual violation," but only very rarely; the usual L. word being stuprum, lit. "disgrace." Sense of "sexual violation or ravishing of a woman" first recorded in Eng. as a noun, 1481 (the noun sense of "taking anything -- including a woman -- away by force" is from c.1400). The verb in this sense is from 1577. Rapist is from 1883.
squat (v.): c.1410, "crouch on the heels," from O.Fr. esquatir "press down, lay flat, crush," from es- "out" (from L. ex-) + O.Fr. quatir "press down, flatten," from V.L. *coactire "press together, force," from L. coactus, pp. of cogere "to compel, curdle, collect" (see cogent). Slang sense of "nothing at all" first attested 1934, probably suggestive of squatting to defecate. The adjective sense of "short, thick" dates from 1630. Squatter "settler who occupies land without legal title" first recorded 1788; in ref. to paupers or homeless people in uninhabited buildings, it is recorded from 1880.
status: 1670s, "height," later "legal standing of a person" (1791), from L. status "condition, position, state, manner, attitude," from stare "to stand," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Sense of "social or professional standing" is from 1820. Status symbol first recorded 1955.
statute: late 13c., from O.Fr. statut, from L.L. statutum "a law, decree," noun use of neuter pp. of L. statuere "enact, establish," from status "condition, position," from stare "to stand" from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Statutory first attested 1717; statutory rape, in U.S., "sexual intercourse with a female below the legal age of consent, whether forced or not," is recorded from 1898.
stultify: 1766, "allege to be of unsound mind" (legal term), from L.L. stultificare "turn into foolishness," from L. stultus "foolish" + root of facere "to make" (see factitious). The first element is cognate with L. stolidus "slow, dull, obtuse" (see stolid). Meaning "cause to appear foolish or absurd" is from 1809.
sui juris: 1614, "of full legal age and capacity," in ancient Rome, "of the status of one not subject to the patria potestas." For first element, see sui generis; for second element, see jurist.
supersedeas: writ to stay legal proceedings, 1393, from L., lit. "you shall desist," second person sing. subjunctive of supersedare (see supersede).
surmise: c.1400, "to charge, allege," from O.Fr. surmis, pp. of surmettre "to accuse," from sur- "upon" + mettre "put," from L. mittere "to send" (see mission). Meaning "to infer conjecturally" is recorded from 1700. The noun meaning "inference, guess" is first found in Eng. 1590; earlier it was a legal term meaning "formal allegation" (1451).
survive: 1473, originally in the legal (inheritance) sense, from Anglo-Fr. survivre, from O.Fr. souvivre, from L. supervivere "live beyond, live longer than," from super "over, beyond" (see super-) + vivere "to live" (see vivid). Survival is attested from 1598; phrase survival of the fittest was used by Spencer in place of Darwin's natural selection. Survivable "capable of being survived" is attested from 1961. Survivalist "one who practices outdoor survival skills" (often in anticipation of apocalypse or in fear of the government) is recorded from 1985.
suspense: 1402, "not being executed, unfulfilled" (of legal matters), from Anglo-Fr. suspens (in en suspens "in abeyance," 1306), from O.Fr. suspens "act of suspending," from L. suspensus, pp. of suspendere (see suspend). Meaning "state of mental uncertainty" (1440) is from legal meaning of "not rendered, not paid, not carried out" (e.g. suspended sentence). As a genre of novels, stories, etc., attested from 1952.
umpire: c.1400, noumper, from O.Fr. nonper "odd number, not even," in reference to a third person to arbitrate between two, from non "not" + per "equal," from L. par. Initial -n- lost by c.1440 due to faulty separation of a noumpere, heard as an oumpere. Originally legal, the gaming sense first recorded 1714 (in wrestling). Short form ump is attested from 1915. The verb is first recorded 1609, from the noun.
unilateral: 1802, from Mod.L. unilateralis, from unum, neut. of unus "one" (see one) + latus (gen. lateralis) "side" (see oblate (n.)). Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) may have been the first to use it in the legal sense of "made or entered into by one party." Unilateral disarmament is recorded from 1929. Unilateralism is recorded from 1926, and seems to have been used in the sense of "advocate of unilateral disarmament." Meaning "pursuit of a foreign policy without allies" is attested from 1964.
"It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions in favor of vegetarianism, while the wolf remains of a different opinion." [William Ralph Inge, "Outspoken Essays," 1919]
utopia: 1551, from Mod.L. Utopia, lit. "nowhere," coined by Thomas More (and used as title of his book, 1516, about an imaginary island enjoying perfect legal, social, and political systems), from Gk. ou "not" + topos "place." Extended to "any perfect place," 1613. Utopian originally meant "having no known location" (1609); sense of "impossibly visionary, ideal" is from 1621; as a noun meaning "visionary idealist" it is first recorded c.1873 (earlier in this sense was utopiast, 1854).
versus: mid-15c., in legal case names, denoting action of one party against another, from L. versus "turned toward or against," from pp. of vertere "to turn," from PIE *wert- "to turn, wind," from base *wer- "to turn, bend" (cf. O.E. -weard "toward," originally "turned toward," weorthan "to befall," wyrd "fate, destiny," lit. "what befalls one;" Skt. vartate "turns round, rolls;" Avestan varet- "to turn;" L. vertere (freq. versare) "to turn;" O.C.S. vruteti "to turn, roll," Rus. vreteno "spindle, distaff;" Lith. verciu "to turn;" Gk. rhatane "stirrer, ladle;" Ger. werden, O.E. weorðan "to become," for sense, cf. "to turn into;" Welsh gwerthyd "spindle, distaff;" O.Ir. frith "against").
waif: 1376, "unclaimed property, flotsam, stray animal," from Anglo-Norm. waif, gwaif (1223) "ownerless property," probably from a Scand. source akin to O.N. veif "waving thing, flag," from P.Gmc. *waif-, from PIE *weip- "to turn, vacillate, tremble ecstatically" (see vibrate). Cf. M.L. waivium "thing thrown away by a thief in flight." A Scot./northern Eng. parallel form was wavenger (1493). Meaning "person (especially a child) without home or friends" first attested 1784, from legal phrase waif and stray (1624). Neglected children being uncommonly thin, the word tended toward this sense. Connotations of "fashionable, small, slender woman" began 1991 with application to childishly slim supermodels such as Kate Moss.
waive: c.1300, from Anglo-Fr. weyver "to abandon, waive," O.Fr. weyver, guever "to abandon, give back," probably from a Scand. source akin to O.N. veifa "to swing about," from P.Gmc. *waibijanan (see waif). In M.E. legal language, used of rights, goods, or women. Waiver "act of waiving" is from 1628 (modern usage is often short for waiver clause); baseball waivers is recorded from 1907.
warranty: 1338, legal term for various types of clauses in real estate transactions, from Anglo-Fr. and O.N.Fr. warantie (O.Fr. guarantie), from warant (see warrant (n.)).
bar (3): "whole body of lawyers, the legal profession," 1550s, a sense which derives ultimately from the railing that separated benchers from the hall in the Inns of Court. Students who had attained a certain standing were "called" to it to take part in the important exercises of the house. After c.1600, however, this was popularly assumed to mean the bar in a courtroom, which was the wooden railing marking off the area around the judge's seat, where prisoners stood for arraignment and where a barrister (q.v.) stood to plead. As the place where the business of court was done, bar in this sense had become synonymous with "court" by early 14c.
barrister: 1540s, "a student of law who has been called to the bar," from bar (3) in the legal sense. Also see attorney.
carnal: c.1400, "fleshly, sensual, sexual," from M.L. carnalis "natural, of the same blood," from L. carnis "of the flesh," gen. of caro "flesh." Carnal knowledge was in legal use by 1686.