Definitions for legitimate
lɪˈdʒɪt ə mɪt; -ˌmeɪtle·git·i·mate

Princeton's WordNet(5.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. legitimateadjective

   of marriages and offspring; recognized as lawful

2. legitimate, logicaladjective

   based on known statements or events or conditions

   "rain was a logical expectation, given the time of year"

3. legitimateadjective

   in accordance with recognized or accepted standards or principles

   "legitimate advertising practices"

4. lawful, legitimate, licitverb

   authorized, sanctioned by, or in accordance with law

   "a legitimate government"

5. legalize, legalise, decriminalize, decriminalise, legitimize, legitimise, legitimate, legitimatize, legitimatiseverb

   make legal

   "Marijuana should be legalized"

6. legitimateverb

   show or affirm to be just and legitimate

7. legitimateverb

   make (an illegitimate child) legitimate; declare the legitimacy of (someone)

   "They legitimized their natural child"

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Legitimateadjective

   accordant with law or with established legal forms and requirements; lawful; as, legitimate government; legitimate rights; the legitimate succession to the throne; a legitimate proceeding of an officer; a legitimate heir

2. Legitimateadjective

   lawfully begotten; born in wedlock

3. Legitimateadjective

   authorized; real; genuine; not false, counterfeit, or spurious; as, legitimate poems of Chaucer; legitimate inscriptions

4. Legitimateadjective

   conforming to known principles, or accepted rules; as, legitimate reasoning; a legitimate standard, or method; a legitimate combination of colors

5. Legitimateadjective

   following by logical sequence; reasonable; as, a legitimate result; a legitimate inference

6. Legitimateverb

   to make legitimate, lawful, or valid; esp., to put in the position or state of a legitimate person before the law, by legal means; as, to legitimate a bastard child

7. Etymology: [LL. legitimatus, p. p. of legitimare to legitimate, fr. L. legitimus legitimate. See Legal.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Legitimate

   le-jit′i-māt, adj. lawful: lawfully begotten, born in wedlock: fairly deduced: following by natural sequence: authorised by usage.—v.t. to make lawful: to give the rights of a legitimate child to an illegitimate one.—n. Legit′imacy, state of being legitimate: lawfulness of birth: regular deduction: directness of descent as affecting the royal succession.—adv. Legit′imately.—ns. Legit′imateness, lawfulness; Legitimā′tion, act of rendering legitimate, esp. of conferring the privileges of lawful birth.—v.t. Legit′imise (same as Legitimate).—n. Legit′imist, one who supports legitimate authority: in France, a follower of the elder Bourbon line (descendants of Louis XIV.), as opposed to the Orleanists or supporters of the descendants of the Duke of Orleans, Louis XIV.'s brother.—Legitimate drama, a designation frequently applied to the representation of Shakespeare's plays—often employed as vaguely indicating approval of the drama of some former time. [Low L. legitimāre. -ātum—L. legitimus, lawful—lex, law.]

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. legitimate

   In accordance with the relevant legislation.

   The fuel costs for the business are legitimate.

   Submitted by MaryC on March 8, 2020  

Matched Categories

1. • Change
   • Justify

British National Corpus

1. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'legitimate' in Adjectives Frequency: #752

How to pronounce legitimate?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say legitimate in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of legitimate in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of legitimate in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of legitimate in a Sentence

1. Ben Carson:

   Virtually everything that can be attributed to progress by using fetal tissue can also use other types of tissue, if it were the only way to do something and there was no other way, there might be an argument. But under these circumstances, there isn't a legitimate argument.

2. Jim Mattis:

   We're not going to get into the political aspect. Providing housing, shelter for those who need it is a legitimate governmental function.

3. Sinem Buber:

   If they are asking Sara Sutton to provide personal information upfront during the interview stages, like Sara Sutton Social Security number for a background check... no legitimate company asks for a background check or Social Security number during the interview stage. That happens after Sara Sutton are hired.

4. White House:

   It has long been recognized on both sides of the political aisle that there is no legitimate need for access to such sensitive information about individuals.

5. Brad McMillan:

   It's scary when you see the second largest economy on the planet seemingly melting down, there are very legitimate reasons for concerns.

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