prelegal
|pre-leg-al|
/ˌpriːˈliːɡəl/
before law / prior to legal regulation
Etymology
'prelegal' originates from Latin components: the prefix 'prae' (via English 'pre-') meaning 'before' and 'legalis' (from 'lex') meaning 'of the law'.
'pre-' (from Latin 'prae') + 'legal' (from Latin 'legalis' via Old French/Latin-derived English) combined in modern English to form 'prelegal,' used in technical and legal contexts from the 19th–20th century onward.
Initially composed simply to mean 'before the law' (i.e., prior to legal recognition); over time it has come to be used specifically in legal and scholarly contexts to denote pre-regulatory or pre-procedural stages.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
existing or occurring before formal legal recognition or regulation; prior to the application or enactment of law.
The report described prelegal customs that later influenced the new statute.
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Adjective 2
relating to stages or actions that precede formal legal proceedings (e.g., negotiations or informal dispute resolution before litigation).
They engaged in prelegal negotiations to try to settle the matter without going to court.
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Last updated: 2025/10/03 09:23