Illicit

Pronunciation: /ɪˈlɪsɪt/

Definitions of illicit

adjective a term used to describe something that is illegal or forbidden by law

Example Sentences

A1 Using illicit substances is against the law.

A2 The police raided the warehouse and found illicit goods.

B1 She was involved in illicit activities that landed her in jail.

B2 The company was accused of engaging in illicit business practices.

C1 The documentary exposed the illicit dealings of the corrupt government officials.

C2 The undercover investigation revealed a network of illicit operations spanning multiple countries.

Examples of illicit in a Sentence

formal The company was found guilty of engaging in illicit business practices.

informal I heard they were involved in some illicit activities.

slang They were caught doing some shady stuff.

figurative The illicit affair between the two celebrities was the talk of the town.

Grammatical Forms of illicit

• past tense: illegally obtained
• plural: illicits
• comparative: more illicit
• superlative: most illicit
• present tense: illicits
• future tense: will illicit
• perfect tense: has illicit
• continuous tense: is illiciting
• singular: illicit
• positive degree: illicit
• infinitive: to illicit
• gerund: illiciting
• participle: illicit

Origin and Evolution of illicit

First Known Use: 1500 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'illicit' originated from the Latin word 'illicitus', which is a combination of 'in-' (not) and 'licitus' (lawful).

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'illicit' has retained its original meaning of something unlawful or forbidden, but has also come to encompass activities that are morally or socially unacceptable.