Like very much of our language, the word 'illegal' comes originally from Latin.
The Latin prefix 'il' is a negator, meaning 'not' or 'without', along with 'ir', 'im', and 'in'.
The prefix for "illegal" is "il-".
Illuminate and illogical start with the prefix "il-"
The opposite prefix to "lawful" is "un-," so the opposite of "lawful" would be "unlawful."
The prefix "ill" means "not" or "badly." It is usually used to indicate a negative or opposite meaning in a word, such as in "illegal" or "illiterate."
The root or base word of "illegal" is "legal".
There are several for each. Incapable is probably the most common form of capable with a prefix, but quasicapable and overcapable are also valid. Illegal and paralegal are the most common forms of legal with a prefix, but there are many others: prelegal, postlegal, pseudolegal, quasilegal, extralegal, medicolegal, and even nonlegal.
The il- in illegal is a prefix for not
illegal
The opposite prefix to "lawful" is "un-," so the opposite of "lawful" would be "unlawful."
illogical illegitimate illuminate.
Illuminate and illogical start with the prefix "il-"
il prefix words: illegal, illegible, illiterate, illogical,illuminate, illustrate.illegitimateillustriousilluminant, illuminationillnessillusionillumineillusoryilliberalilliquidillicitThese all mean "not". (Not logical = illogical)
Im+ is the prefix, making it imprison. That is the verb form of prison, meaning to put someone in a prison. It can also mean to detain someone (which can be in an illegal sense, as in the case of illegal imprisonment or kidnapping).
illegible illegal illogical illegimate illicit
The base word for illegible is legible. Plaing a prefix in front of the base changes its meanig. Legible refers to easy to comprehend. If you attach the prefix il- it means not.
illegible illegitimate illiterate illogical These all mean not. (Not logical = illogical)
The prefix il-, as well as the similar prefixes im-, in-, and ir-, all mean "not", or "the opposite of".They have their roots in the Latin in- (which also means "not" or "the opposite of"), but the -n- was assimilated with the sound of the following consonant, to become words such asillegal: the opposite of legalinfamous: the opposite of famousimpossible: the opposite of impossibleirresponsible: the opposite of responsibleThese four prefixes share the same definition, and the same roots, and are worth mentioning together.
Usually it creates a the connotation of negation or "lack of". For example, an illiterate person is one who cannot read (IL + LITERATE)