legitimate

[ adjective, noun li-jit-uh-mit; verb li-jit-uh-meyt ]

/ adjective, noun lɪˈdʒɪt ə mɪt; verb lɪˈdʒɪt əˌmeɪt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR legitimate ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

according to law; lawful: the property's legitimate owner.

in accordance with established rules, principles, or standards.

born in wedlock or of legally married parents: legitimate children.

in accordance with the laws of reasoning; logically inferable; logical: a legitimate conclusion.

resting on or ruling by the principle of hereditary right: a legitimate sovereign.

not spurious or unjustified; genuine: It was a legitimate complaint.

of the normal or regular type or kind.

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), le·git·i·mat·ed, le·git·i·mat·ing.

to make lawful or legal; pronounce or state as lawful: Parliament legitimated his accession to the throne.

to establish as lawfully born: His bastard children were afterward legitimated by law.

to show or declare to be legitimate or proper: He was under obligation to legitimate his commission.

to justify; sanction or authorize: His behavior was legitimated by custom.

noun

the legitimate, the legitimate theater or drama.

a person who is established as being legitimate.

Origin of legitimate

First recorded in 1485–95, legitimate is from the Medieval Latin word lēgitimātus (past participle of lēgitimāre to make lawful). See legitim, -ate¹

SYNONYMS FOR legitimate

1 legal, licit.

2 sanctioned.

4 valid.

9 legalize.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR legitimate ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR legitimate

1 illegitimate.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR legitimate ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM legitimate

le·git·i·mate·ly, adverb le·git·i·mate·ness, noun le·git·i·ma·tion, noun de·le·git·i·mate, verb (used with object), de·le·git·i·mat·ed, de·le·git·i·mat·ing.

de·le·git·i·ma·tion, noun non·le·git·i·mate, adjective post·le·git·i·ma·tion, noun qua·si-le·git·i·mate, adjective qua·si-le·git·i·mate·ly, adverb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH legitimate

legitimate legitimize

Words nearby legitimate

legislature, legist, legit, legitim, legitimacy, legitimate, legitimate government, legitimatize, legitimist, legitimize, leglen

Example sentences from the Web for legitimate

There are limits to the painting of banditry and extortion as the legitimate raising of taxes.

ISIS’s Futile Quest to Go Legit |Jamie Dettmer |January 5, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
In 2012, as a 10th grader, Lean says he recorded his first legitimate song, “Hurt.”

The Cult of Yung Lean: ‘I’m Building An Anarchistic Society From the Ground Up’ |Marlow Stern |January 4, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
He was courteous, explained the legitimate reason we were briefly pulled over, and then let us continue on our way.

Obama Is Right on Race. The Media Is Wrong. |Keli Goff |December 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
There are legitimate criticisms of the study, but not because it includes “attempted forced kissing,” as Lowry suggested.

Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: Dec. 7 |PunditFact.com |December 7, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Williams sold hardware manufactured by a legitimate company, said Sargent, who took a 25 to 30 percent commission.

Patients Screwed in Spine Surgery ‘Scam’ |The Center for Investigative Reporting |November 3, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Our object is to check by every legitimate means the spread of tommyrot in this country and the world generally.

Lalage's Lovers |George A. Birmingham
But he is ready to respect the dame, if she proves to deserve it, as a legitimate connection.

The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 15, No. 89, March, 1865 |Various
He has seen so much done by energy and money that he probably thought the one as legitimate a lever into Parliament as the other.

Mr. Punch's History of Modern England Vol. II (of IV),--1857-1874 |Charles L. Graves
Legitimate government can be formed only by the voluntary association of all who contribute to its support.

An Essay on the Trial by Jury |Lysander Spooner
In fact there can be, and there is, no escape from the legitimate conclusion.

Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 64, No. 397, November 1848 |Various

British Dictionary definitions for legitimate

legitimate

adjective (lɪˈdʒɪtɪmɪt)

born in lawful wedlock; enjoying full filial rights

conforming to established standards of usage, behaviour, etc

based on correct or acceptable principles of reasoning

reasonable, sensible, or valid a legitimate question

authorized, sanctioned by, or in accordance with law

of, relating to, or ruling by hereditary right a legitimate monarch

of or relating to a body of famous long-established plays as distinct from films, television, vaudeville, etc the legitimate theatre

verb (lɪˈdʒɪtɪˌmeɪt)

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

Derived forms of legitimate

legitimacy or legitimateness, noun legitimately, adverb legitimation, noun

Word Origin for legitimate

C15: from Medieval Latin lēgitimātus made legal, from lēx law

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

legitimate

adjective

verb (used with object), le·git·i·mat·ed, le·git·i·mat·ing.

noun

Origin of legitimate

SYNONYMS FOR legitimate

ANTONYMS FOR legitimate

OTHER WORDS FROM legitimate

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH legitimate

Words nearby legitimate

Example sentences from the Web for legitimate

British Dictionary definitions for legitimate

adjective (lɪˈdʒɪtɪmɪt)

verb (lɪˈdʒɪtɪˌmeɪt)

Derived forms of legitimate

Word Origin for legitimate

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

legitimate

adjective

verb (used with object), le·git·i·mat·ed, le·git·i·mat·ing.

noun

Origin of legitimate

SYNONYMS FOR legitimate

ANTONYMS FOR legitimate

OTHER WORDS FROM legitimate

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH legitimate

Words nearby legitimate

Words related to legitimate

Example sentences from the Web for legitimate

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for legitimate

adjective (lɪˈdʒɪtɪmɪt)

verb (lɪˈdʒɪtɪˌmeɪt)

Derived forms of legitimate

Word Origin for legitimate

British Dictionary definitions for legitimate