legalist
noun
le·gal·ist ˈlē-gə-list 
1
: an advocate or adherent of moral legalism
2
: one that views things from a legal standpoint
especially : one that places primary emphasis on legal principles or on the formal structure of governmental institutions
Examples of legalist in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Minorities were included in every part of society: artisans, merchant marines, medical doctors, philosophers, mathematicians, inventors, legalists, farmers, bankers and astronomers. —
Doris Bittar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026 And then there’s Miles Teller, an actor of some renown who has just proved himself as wily and cunning a legalist as there might be. —Richard Lawson, Vanities, 20 June 2017
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Doris Bittar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026 And then there’s Miles Teller, an actor of some renown who has just proved himself as wily and cunning a legalist as there might be. —Richard Lawson, Vanities, 20 June 2017
Cite this Entry
“Legalist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/legalist. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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