legalese - definition of legalese - synonyms, pronunciation, spelling from Free Dictionary

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

a style that uses the abstruse technical vocabulary of the law

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

legalese \legalese\ n. A style of writing or speaking heavily emphasizing the abstruse technical vocabulary of the law, to the point where a speech or document may be incomprehensible to non-specialists. [WordNet 1.5]

Free On-line Dictionary of Computing

legalese

Dense, pedantic verbiage in a language description, product specification, or interface standard; text that seems designed to obfuscate and requires a language lawyer to parse it. Though hackers are not afraid of high information density and complexity in language (indeed, they rather enjoy both), they share a deep and abiding loathing for legalese; they associate it with deception, suits, and situations in which hackers generally get the short end of the stick.

The Jargon File

legalese n.

Dense, pedantic verbiage in a language description, product specification, or interface standard; text that seems designed to obfuscate and requires a language lawyer to parse it. Though hackers are not afraid of high information density and complexity in language (indeed, they rather enjoy both), they share a deep and abiding loathing for legalese; they associate it with deception, suits, and situations in which hackers generally get the short end of the stick.