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paralegal — a person trained in subsidiary legal matters but not fully qualified as a lawyer

Part of speech: NOUN

Definition: a person trained in subsidiary legal matters but not fully qualified as a lawyer

Pronunciation (IPA): /ˌpærəˈliːɡəl/

Example Sentences

  • The paralegal worked so hard that even the coffee machine asked for her autograph.
  • Our paralegal can find any legal document faster than you can say 'objection!'
  • The law firm is looking for a qualified paralegal to join their team.

paralegal

NOUN

[/ˌpærəˈliːɡəl/]

a person trained in subsidiary legal matters but not fully qualified as a lawyer

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/ˌpærəˈliːɡəl/
🇬🇧 UK/ˌpærəˈliːɡəl/

🌳Etymology

Prefixpara--
Rootlegal

Origin

Paralegal is a compound word formed in 1960s America, combining Greek para- (meaning alongside or subsidiary) with Latin legal (derived from lex, meaning law). The term emerged to denote a professional who assists lawyers by performing legal work under attorney supervision.

Breakdown

para- (alongside, auxiliary) + legal (of or relating to law, from Latin legalis). The prefix para- indicates a supportive or secondary role to the primary legal profession.

🎵Rhyme

illegal
legal
regal

🔗Collocations

experienced paralegal
paralegal services
hire a paralegal
paralegal certificate
paralegal studies

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

“The paralegal worked so hard that even the coffee machine asked for her autograph.”

😄 Fun example

“Our paralegal can find any legal document faster than you can say 'objection!'”

“The law firm is looking for a qualified paralegal to join their team.”

😄 Fun example

“She decided to become a paralegal after watching too many legal dramas on TV.”

📚Related Words

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