lawful
UK /ˈlɔːfl̩/ · US /ˈlɔfl̩/ adjective, noun
Forms lawfuls lawfull
- adjective (law) Conforming to, or recognised by the laws of society. “Lawful money is always a land asset and can only be issued by an actual land jurisdiction government — not a corporation.”
- adjective Operating according to some law or fundamental principle.
- adjective (roleplaying games) Of a character: having an alignment which makes them tend to follow the laws and conventions of society.
- noun (roleplaying games) A character having a lawful alignment.
Synonyms
just legal legitimate licit de jure rightful rule-governed true
Antonyms
nonlawful unlawful illicit crimeful criminal illegal illegitimate lawbreaking outlawed wrongful forbidden
Etymology
From Middle English laweful, equivalent to law + -ful, conflated with Middle English leful, leeful, leveful (“according to law, lawful, pertaining to law”). See also leveful.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Conformable to law; allowed by law; legitimate; competent.
- adjective Constituted or authorized by law; rightful; as, the lawful owner of lands. Lawful age, the age when the law recognizes one's right of independent action; majority; --generally the age of twenty-one years.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “lawful”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details