Understanding Illegal vs. Illicit: A Simple Guide

Difference Between Illegal and Illicit

History of the Words

The word illegal comes from the Latin word “illegalis,” which means not legal. The word illicit comes from the Latin word “illicitus,” which means not allowed or improper.

What the Words Mean

Illegal means not allowed by law. If something is illegal, it is against the rules or the law.

Illicit means not allowed according to society’s rules. It often refers to things that are secret or frowned upon.

Trick to Remember the Difference

To remember the difference, think of illegal as something that law says “no” to, like stealing. Think of illicit as something society or morals say “no” to, like keeping a secret relationship.

Examples of Illegal

• Stealing a car is illegal.
• It is illegal to drive without a driver’s license.
• Hunting wild animals without a permit is illegal.
• Selling drugs on the street is illegal.
• It is illegal to litter in public parks.

Examples of Illicit

• They had an illicit meeting in the dark alley.
• He was involved in an illicit trade.
• She had an illicit affair with a coworker.
• The boys were talking about their illicit adventures.
• Illicit gambling activities are common in this area.

Summary

Remember, illegal is about breaking the law. If you do something illegal, you might get arrested. Illicit is about breaking social or moral rules. If you do something illicit, people might disapprove, but it isn’t necessarily against the law.