Ólöglegur

ólöglegur is an Icelandic adjective meaning illegal; it describes actions, objects, or situations that are prohibited by law or regulation. It is used in legal language as well as in everyday speech to denote that something may not be done, possessed, or carried out. The term is formed from lög (law) plus the suffix -legur, with the negating prefix ó- to indicate the opposite of legal. In grammar, it inflects for gender and number, with approximate forms such as ólöglegur (masculine singular), ólögleg (feminine singular), and ólöglegt (neuter singular); plural forms exist as well, varying by gender.

In practice, ólöglegur is used to classify acts, goods, or conditions as not permitted by law. For example, a masculine noun: Þessi hlutur er ólöglegur. A feminine noun: Þessi vara er ólögleg. A general statement: Það er ólöglegt að brjóta í bága við reglurnar. In legal contexts, the word appears in statutes, court reporting, and news coverage to indicate illegality, as opposed to löglegt, which denotes legality or permissibility.

Etymology and related terms: ó- is a common Icelandic negation prefix, and -legur is a productive suffix meaning “having the nature of” or “appropriate for.” Related terms include löglegt (legal), lögmætur (lawful), and ólögmætur (unlawful in sense of not allowed by norms or rules, though usage may vary by context).

See also: lög (law), löggjöf (legislation), lögfræði (jurisprudence).