Word Woman

Welcome to another mindbending installment of Word Woman's Weekly Work-Out! This is the seventh in our series of words which only seem to appear in the negative. And the Word of the Week is:

Illicit: [adjective] 1. Unlawful; forbidden (illicit dealings)

2. secret; furtive (an illicit cigarette)

-- "The Oxford American Dictionary and Language Guide", Oxford University Press, New York, 1999.

but have you heard anyone use the word:

Licit: [adjective] not forbidden; lawful

-- "The Oxford American Dictionary and Language Guide", Oxford University Press, New York, 1999.

Example: When growing herbs for medicinal use was legalized, Ted's garden went from an illicit patch under a grow-light in his basement to a large, licit expanse in his backyard.