illicit
il-LIS-itadjMeaning not allowed by law or by the rules
Memory hook ILL-icit: ILLegal, against the rules. The sign says NO CATS ON THE TABLE, but Pepper sneaks up for the fish anyway. Her snack is illicit!
The camp counselors found an illicit stash of candy hidden under a bunk.
In context The garage looked like an ordinary bike shop, but its back room hid an illicit business: stolen bikes were repainted there and sold in the next town.
Similar illegal, unlawful, forbidden, banned
Opposite legal, lawful, legitimate
From Latin illicitus, “not allowed”: in (not) + licitus (allowed), from licere, “to be allowed.”