illicite
illicit, unlawful
adjective ee-lee-SEET Rare
Origin: from Latin illicitus, not permitted
Usage Note
Illicite is a formal adjective used in legal, journalistic, and official registers to describe activities or goods that are prohibited by law or rules. The antonym is licite (lawful, permissible). It is gender-invariable in form (un commerce illicite, une pratique illicite).
Examples
"Ce commerce illicite a été démantelé."
Natural Translation
This illicit trade was dismantled.

Free starter pack
Building your French vocabulary?
Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.
Related Words
Explore French by topic