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View synonyms for

legitimate

[li-jit-uh-mit, li-jit-uh-meyt]

adjective

  1. according to law; lawful.

    the property's legitimate owner.

    Synonyms: ,
    Antonyms:
  2. in accordance with established rules, principles, or standards.

    Synonyms:
  3. born in wedlock or of legally married parents.

    legitimate children.

  4. in accordance with the laws of reasoning; logically inferable; logical.

    a legitimate conclusion.

    Synonyms:
  5. resting on or ruling by the principle of hereditary right.

    a legitimate sovereign.

  6. not spurious or unjustified; genuine.

    It was a legitimate complaint.

  7. of the normal or regular type or kind.

  8. Theater.of or relating to professionally produced stage plays, as distinguished from burlesque, vaudeville, television, motion pictures, etc..

    an actor in the legitimate theater.



verb (used with object)

legitimated, legitimating 
  1. to make lawful or legal; pronounce or state as lawful.

    Parliament legitimated his accession to the throne.

    Synonyms:
  2. to establish as lawfully born.

    His bastard children were afterward legitimated by law.

  3. to show or declare to be legitimate or proper.

    He was under obligation to legitimate his commission.

  4. to justify; sanction or authorize.

    His behavior was legitimated by custom.

noun

  1. the legitimate, the legitimate theater or drama.

  2. a person who is established as being legitimate.

legitimate

adjective

  1. born in lawful wedlock; enjoying full filial rights

  2. conforming to established standards of usage, behaviour, etc

  3. based on correct or acceptable principles of reasoning

  4. reasonable, sensible, or valid

    a legitimate question

  5. authorized, sanctioned by, or in accordance with law

  6. of, relating to, or ruling by hereditary right

    a legitimate monarch

  7. of or relating to a body of famous long-established plays as distinct from films, television, vaudeville, etc

    the legitimate theatre

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (tr) to make, pronounce, or show to be legitimate

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • legitimately adverb
  • legitimateness noun
  • legitimation noun
  • delegitimate verb (used with object)
  • delegitimation noun
  • nonlegitimate adjective
  • postlegitimation noun
  • quasi-legitimate adjective
  • quasi-legitimately adverb
  • ˈپٱ adverb
  • ˈپ noun
  • ˌپˈپDz noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of legitimate1

First recorded in 1485–95, legitimate is from the Medieval Latin word ŧپٳܲ (past participle of ŧپ to make lawful). See legitim, -ate 1
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Word History and Origins

Origin of legitimate1

C15: from Medieval Latin ŧپٳܲ made legal, from ŧ law
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Unionists in Northern Ireland have "legitimate concerns" over the Irish language but they "can be addressed", the former first minister of Wales has said.

From

As a Senate member from California, it’s perfectly legitimate for Padilla to want clarity on immigration enforcement actions that are taking place in Los Angeles.

From

Why, owners wondered, should we continue to pay two dozen entry-level players to fill out a roster when only two of them might be legitimate prospects?

From

“They always have been wanting to be part of the economy, and our goal was for them to be seen as a legitimate small business.”

From

The collective longing for a sturdier system, currently molting in tradwife TikToks and behind the paywall of Andrew Tate’s Hustlers University, is supported by a scaffolding of legitimate critique.

From

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legitimacylegitimate government