People who live outside the law or are declared criminals; to ban or make illegal.
From Old English 'utlaga' meaning 'one outside the law'. In medieval times, being declared an outlaw meant losing legal protection - anyone could kill an outlaw without penalty. The concept evolved from a specific legal status to a general term for criminals or rebels.
Being an 'outlaw' in medieval times was literally a death sentence - it meant you existed outside legal protection, so anyone could kill you without consequence. This harsh reality gave rise to the romanticized outlaw legends like Robin Hood, where criminals became folk heroes fighting unjust authority, transforming legal exile into mythical rebellion.
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