Zakonsko

Zakonsko is an adjective used in several South Slavic languages, including Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, and Slovenian, to mean legal or statutory. It is formed from the noun zakon, meaning law, with the adjectival suffix -sko, producing forms that agree with the gender and number of the noun. The neuter form zakonsko is commonly used with neuter nouns such as pravo (law) or uređenje (regulation).

In legal and administrative contexts, zakonsko describes matters that are grounded in or required by law, as opposed to practices based on custom or informal rules. Common phrases include zakonsko pravo (statutory law), zakonska obaveza (legal obligation), and zakonsko uređenje (legal framework or statutory regulation). The same root appears in related forms such as zakonski (masculine) and zakonska (feminine), which adapt to different nouns and grammatical genders.

Etymology and usage: zakonsko derives from zakon, the word for law, with the typical Slavic adjectival suffix -sko. Its use spans legal scholarship, government documents, and everyday language when distinguishing statutory or legally mandated concepts from other kinds of rules or norms.

Notes: While zakonsko is closely tied to law and formal regulation, it is distinct from terms like pravno (legal in a more general sense) or ustavno (constitutional). The exact form of the adjective changes with gender and case in sentences, but its core meaning remains “relating to law or statute.” See also zakon and pravni terms related to legislation.