illegaler

Illegaler is the comparative form of the German adjective illegal. It is used to describe something that is more illegal than another thing, and it also occurs as the attributive masculine singular form before a noun when indicating a higher degree of illegality. For example, with an indefinite article one might say ein illegaler Handel, meaning “an illegal trade,” while in a comparative construction one can say Dieser Handel ist illegaler als jener, meaning “This trade is more illegal than that one.”

Linguistic notes and etymology: The word illegal derives from Latin illegalis, passed into German through historical contact with Romance languages. In German, adjectives historically decline for gender, number, and case, which means illegal changes form depending on how it is used in a sentence. The form illegaler specifically marks masculine singular and can function in a comparative sense when paired with als, as in illegaler als.

Usage considerations: In everyday German, illegaler is most common in explicit comparisons of illegality or in formal/legal discourse. It is not a separate lexical item with a unique meaning beyond the comparative or attributive forms of illegal. The word Illegale, capitalized as a noun, can refer to a person who is illegal (a noun use), which is distinct from the adjective forms discussed here.

See also: illegal, illegality, German adjective declension.

Note: As with many German adjectives, the exact ending of illegaler can vary with gender, number, and case; the examples above illustrate the most typical masculine singular usages.