legalize — to make something legal or lawful that was previously illegal
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to make something legal or lawful that was previously illegal
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈliːɡəlaɪz/
Example Sentences
- After years of debate, the city finally decided to legalize street food vendors.
- Some politicians want to legalize everything except homework on weekends.
- The proposal to legalize cannabis has sparked heated discussions nationwide.
legalize
VERB[/ˈliːɡəlaɪz/]
to make something legal or lawful that was previously illegal
The government voted to legalize street food vendors across the city.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Latin 'legalis' (legal, lawful), which itself comes from 'lex' (law). The suffix '-ize', used to form verbs meaning 'to make or cause to be', was added to create a verb meaning 'to make legal or lawful'.
Breakdown
legal (from Latin legalis, meaning lawful or pertaining to law) + -ize (verb-forming suffix meaning to make or cause to become).
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“After years of debate, the city finally decided to legalize street food vendors.”
“Some politicians want to legalize everything except homework on weekends.”
“The proposal to legalize cannabis has sparked heated discussions nationwide.”
“If we legalize sleeping in meetings, productivity might actually increase.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
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