1.
legal; statutory; prescribed by law
Fixed or required by law. Used almost only as the first part of compounds such as 法定速度 (legal speed limit) and 法定労働時間 (statutory working hours).
Compounds
- 法定速度: legal speed limit (when no sign gives another)
- 法定労働時間: statutory working hours
- 法定相続人: legal heir
- 法定代理人: legal representative, such as a parent for a minor
- 法定伝染病: (former term) legally designated infectious disease
Watch out
法廷 (courtroom, court) has the same reading. 法定 is about what the law sets; 法廷 is the place where trials are held.