licit

IPA/ˈlɪsɪt/
IPA/ˈlɪsɪt/

licit — adjective

  • licitpositive
  • more licitcomparative
  • most licitsuperlative

1. If something is licit, it is officially allowed under the legal system of a coun

1.形容詞C1
釋義

If something is licit, it is officially allowed under the legal system of a country, so people can do it without facing any punishment from the authorities.

例句

Was the partnership licit? Gabriel asked the legal team to check before signing anything.

question form with licit as predicate

A licit trade agreement between the two countries helped their economies grow steadily.

collocation: licit trade / licit agreement

同義詞
  • legal

    everyday word; far more common than licit in normal speech and writing

  • lawful

    formal and slightly old-fashioned; often used in religious or moral contexts alongside legal ones

  • permissible

    broader meaning — can refer to rules other than law, such as school or workplace policies

  • legitimate

    can mean 'valid' or 'reasonable' in addition to 'legal'; wider range of use

反義詞
  • illicit

    direct opposite; far more common than licit in everyday use

  • illegal

    everyday opposite; used in all registers

  • unlawful

    formal opposite; common in legal contexts

用法筆記

Licit is far more common in legal writing and formal documents than in everyday conversation. Its opposite, illicit, is used much more frequently by native speakers.

常見錯誤

❌Smoking in restaurants is not licit here.
✅Smoking in restaurants is not legal here.
💡Use 'legal' or 'allowed' instead of 'licit' in everyday situations; licit is overly formal for casual speech.