"legalese" meaning in English

See legalese in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /ˈliː.ɡə.liːz/ [UK], /ˈli.ɡə.liz/ [Canada, US], /ˈliː.ɡə.liːz/ [General-Australian], [ˈlɪi.ɡə.lɪiz] [General-Australian] Audio: en-us-legalese.ogg
Etymology: From legal + -ese. Etymology templates: {{suffix|en|legal|ese}} legal + -ese Head templates: {{en-noun|-}} legalese (uncountable)
  1. (informal, derogatory) Technical jargon common in the legal profession, the argot of lawyers. Tags: derogatory, informal, uncountable Categories (topical): Jargon, Law Translations (technical talk of the legal profession): lakimiesten kapulakieli (Finnish), kapulakieli (Finnish), lakikieli [also] (Finnish), jargon juridique [masculine] (French), Juristenjargon [masculine] (German), Juristensprache [feminine] (German), 법률 용어 (beomnyul yong'eo) (Korean), juridiquês [masculine] (Portuguese)
    Sense id: en-legalese-en-noun-NAIUPcQS Disambiguation of Jargon: 76 24 Disambiguation of Law: 53 47 Disambiguation of 'technical talk of the legal profession': 75 25
  2. (informal, derogatory) Wordy, ostentatious talk or writing that resembles legal writing, especially when confusing to laypeople; bureaucratese; officialese. Tags: derogatory, informal, uncountable Categories (topical): Law Translations (wording that resembles how lawyers write — see also bureaucratese): legalês [masculine] (Portuguese)
    Sense id: en-legalese-en-noun-~2yrQpdQ Disambiguation of Law: 53 47 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English terms suffixed with -ese, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Korean translations, Terms with Portuguese translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 29 71 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -ese: 24 76 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 19 81 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 15 85 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 10 90 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 24 76 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 20 80 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 16 84 Disambiguation of Terms with Korean translations: 24 76 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 23 77 Disambiguation of 'wording that resembles how lawyers write — see also bureaucratese': 25 75

Alternative forms

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "legal",
        "3": "ese"
      },
      "expansion": "legal + -ese",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From legal + -ese.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "legalese (uncountable)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "le‧gal‧ese"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "76 24",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Jargon",
          "orig": "en:Jargon",
          "parents": [
            "Language",
            "Communication",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "53 47",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Law",
          "orig": "en:Law",
          "parents": [
            "Justice",
            "Society",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Technical jargon common in the legal profession, the argot of lawyers."
      ],
      "id": "en-legalese-en-noun-NAIUPcQS",
      "links": [
        [
          "derogatory",
          "derogatory"
        ],
        [
          "argot",
          "argot"
        ],
        [
          "lawyer",
          "lawyer"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal, derogatory) Technical jargon common in the legal profession, the argot of lawyers."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "derogatory",
        "informal",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "75 25",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "technical talk of the legal profession",
          "word": "lakimiesten kapulakieli"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "75 25",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "technical talk of the legal profession",
          "word": "kapulakieli"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "75 25",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "raw_tags": [
            "used non-pejoratively"
          ],
          "sense": "technical talk of the legal profession",
          "tags": [
            "also"
          ],
          "word": "lakikieli"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "75 25",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "technical talk of the legal profession",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "jargon juridique"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "75 25",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "technical talk of the legal profession",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Juristenjargon"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "75 25",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "technical talk of the legal profession",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Juristensprache"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "75 25",
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "beomnyul yong'eo",
          "sense": "technical talk of the legal profession",
          "word": "법률 용어"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "75 25",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "technical talk of the legal profession",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "juridiquês"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "29 71",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 76",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -ese",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "19 81",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "15 85",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "10 90",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 76",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "20 80",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with French translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "16 84",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 76",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Korean translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "23 77",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "53 47",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Law",
          "orig": "en:Law",
          "parents": [
            "Justice",
            "Society",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Wordy, ostentatious talk or writing that resembles legal writing, especially when confusing to laypeople; bureaucratese; officialese."
      ],
      "id": "en-legalese-en-noun-~2yrQpdQ",
      "links": [
        [
          "derogatory",
          "derogatory"
        ],
        [
          "ostentatious",
          "ostentatious"
        ],
        [
          "laypeople",
          "laypeople"
        ],
        [
          "bureaucratese",
          "bureaucratese"
        ],
        [
          "officialese",
          "officialese"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal, derogatory) Wordy, ostentatious talk or writing that resembles legal writing, especially when confusing to laypeople; bureaucratese; officialese."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "derogatory",
        "informal",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "25 75",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "wording that resembles how lawyers write — see also bureaucratese",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "legalês"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈliː.ɡə.liːz/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈli.ɡə.liz/",
      "tags": [
        "Canada",
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-legalese.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/b/b2/En-us-legalese.ogg/En-us-legalese.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/En-us-legalese.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈliː.ɡə.liːz/",
      "tags": [
        "General-Australian"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[ˈlɪi.ɡə.lɪiz]",
      "tags": [
        "General-Australian"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "legalese"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms suffixed with -ese",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Korean translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "en:Jargon",
    "en:Law"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "legal",
        "3": "ese"
      },
      "expansion": "legal + -ese",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From legal + -ese.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "legalese (uncountable)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "le‧gal‧ese"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English derogatory terms",
        "English informal terms"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Technical jargon common in the legal profession, the argot of lawyers."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "derogatory",
          "derogatory"
        ],
        [
          "argot",
          "argot"
        ],
        [
          "lawyer",
          "lawyer"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal, derogatory) Technical jargon common in the legal profession, the argot of lawyers."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "derogatory",
        "informal",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English derogatory terms",
        "English informal terms"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Wordy, ostentatious talk or writing that resembles legal writing, especially when confusing to laypeople; bureaucratese; officialese."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "derogatory",
          "derogatory"
        ],
        [
          "ostentatious",
          "ostentatious"
        ],
        [
          "laypeople",
          "laypeople"
        ],
        [
          "bureaucratese",
          "bureaucratese"
        ],
        [
          "officialese",
          "officialese"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal, derogatory) Wordy, ostentatious talk or writing that resembles legal writing, especially when confusing to laypeople; bureaucratese; officialese."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "derogatory",
        "informal",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈliː.ɡə.liːz/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈli.ɡə.liz/",
      "tags": [
        "Canada",
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-legalese.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/b/b2/En-us-legalese.ogg/En-us-legalese.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/En-us-legalese.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈliː.ɡə.liːz/",
      "tags": [
        "General-Australian"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[ˈlɪi.ɡə.lɪiz]",
      "tags": [
        "General-Australian"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "technical talk of the legal profession",
      "word": "lakimiesten kapulakieli"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "technical talk of the legal profession",
      "word": "kapulakieli"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "raw_tags": [
        "used non-pejoratively"
      ],
      "sense": "technical talk of the legal profession",
      "tags": [
        "also"
      ],
      "word": "lakikieli"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "technical talk of the legal profession",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "jargon juridique"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "technical talk of the legal profession",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Juristenjargon"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "technical talk of the legal profession",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Juristensprache"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "beomnyul yong'eo",
      "sense": "technical talk of the legal profession",
      "word": "법률 용어"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "technical talk of the legal profession",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "juridiquês"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "wording that resembles how lawyers write — see also bureaucratese",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "legalês"
    }
  ],
  "word": "legalese"
}

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This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-11-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-10-02 using wiktextract (fbeafe8 and 7f03c9b). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.