illicit

adjective

il·​lic·​it (ˌ)i(l)-ˈli-sət How to pronounce illicit (audio)
: not permitted : unlawful
illicitly adverb

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Illicit and Elicit

Illicit, while not exactly an everyday word, is far more common than its antonym, licit ("not forbidden by law, permissible"). Perhaps this is a function of our oft-noted fascination with bad behavior and boredom with rectitude. In any case, illicit may be used of behavior that is either unlawful or immoral. These categories frequently overlap, but they are not always synonymous, as some unlawful activities (illicit cigarette smoking) may not be considered immoral, while some immoral activities (an illicit affair) are not illegal. Illicit is occasionally confused with elicit because of the similarity in their pronunciations, but the two words have decidedly different meanings and functions: in contemporary English, elicit is a verb meaning "to get (a response, information, etc.) from someone," while illicit appears solely as an adjective.

Examples of illicit in a Sentence

The wedding is mounted in traditional Punjabi style, but underneath the formal fanfare simmer dysfunctional-family tensions, deep dark secrets, … and illicit affairs. David Ansen, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2002
"Thank you, Lieutenant," she said, bowing her head, just as she might in everyday, civilian life, and I felt suddenly illicit in her presence, as though we'd slipped out of sight of our chaperons … Chang-rae Lee, A Gesture Life, 1999
The companies that carry cellular … have adopted a number of monitoring techniques to detect illicit calls … Paul Wallich, Scientific American, March 1994
He was arrested for selling illicit copies of the software. She had an illicit affair with her boss.
Recent Examples on the Web The demise of the needle exchange bill reflected rising skepticism among Republicans and some Democrats about the harm reduction approach to illicit drug use. Mitch Smith, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2024 Abbott frequently claims the operation is successful, pointing to migrant arrests and seized illicit narcotics. Ann E. Marimow, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 The bliss of first bites, illicit cherries jubilee, Miyazaki’s gluttons ... and the crookie? Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Mathew also handed him a card printed with a phone number that could help erase both his new fine and – in the longer term, civic leaders here hope – the sort of illicit substance abuse that’s escalated on these streets amid the nationwide opioid epidemic. Josh Campbell, CNN, 2 Mar. 2024 Travelers should maintain a high level of situational awareness, avoid areas where illicit activities occur and promptly depart from potentially dangerous situations. Chris Eberhart, Fox News, 1 Mar. 2024 In this context, the presence of a legal cannabis market would significantly improve the chances of cracking down on the illicit market, which currently monopolizes cannabis sales in the country. Dario Sabaghi, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 Senate leaders, along with Gov. Mike DeWine, worry the illicit market will flourish with legal consumption and no way to legally buy marijuana. Haley Bemiller, The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024 The defendants in the smuggling case organized much of the illicit operation on Instagram, federal agents alleged in court documents. Thomas Brewster, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'illicit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin illicitus, from in- + licitus lawful — more at licit

First Known Use

1506, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of illicit was in 1506

Dictionary Entries Near illicit

Cite this Entry

“Illicit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/illicit. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

illicit

adjective
il·​lic·​it (ˈ)il-ˈ(l)is-ət How to pronounce illicit (audio)
: illegal
illicit drug traffic
illicitly adverb

Legal Definition

illicit

adjective
il·​lic·​it il-ˈli-sət How to pronounce illicit (audio)
: not permitted : unlawful
an illicit motive to defeat or evade the taxesIn re Haas, 48 F.3d 1153 (1995)

More from Merriam-Webster on illicit

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