Legalize

How to spell legalize

8 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce legalize

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does legalize mean?

1. verbTo make something permitted by law that was previously forbidden.

Legalize in a sentence

• Several states moved to legalize the sale of cannabis.

• The state voted to legalize casino gambling last year.

Where does legalize come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word is a relatively modern coinage built from the adjective 'legal' plus the productive verb-forming suffix '-ize'. The 'legal' part traces back to the Latin legalis, meaning 'relating to the law', which was formed from lex, lex's genitive being legis, the ordinary Latin word for 'law' or 'statute'. The suffix '-ize' descends ultimately from the Greek verb ending -izein, which carried the sense of 'to make into' or 'to cause to become', and it reached English by way of Latin and French. Putting the pieces together, 'legalize' literally means 'to make lawful'. The verb appears in English from around the early seventeenth century, and the same lex root sits inside familiar relatives such as 'legislate', 'legitimate' and 'loyal'. The single 'l' in the middle and the 'z' in the '-ize' ending are the spots writers second-guess, since the '-ize' and '-ise' forms compete depending on dialect.

How the word is built

• leg- (from Latin lex, legis: law)
• -al (adjective suffix: relating to)
• -ize (verb-forming suffix: to make or render)

British and American spelling

Legalize is the American spelling. British English spells it legalise.