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,adverble·git·i·mate·ness,nounle·git·i·ma·tion,nounde·le·git·i·mate,verb (used with object),de·le·git·i·mat·ed,de·le·git·i·mat·ing.
According to Roman Sannikov, a Russia specialist with cybersecurity firm Recorded Future, the high volume of legitimate cryptocurrency use in Eastern Europe is a legacy of the Soviet Union and its collapse.
Eastern Europe leads the world in cryptocurrency adoption—legal and otherwise|dzanemorris|September 14, 2020|Fortune
Turkey argues that Hamas — which won the last election in 2006 — is the legitimate representative of the people of Gaza.
Erdogan Pitches Himself as Muslim World’s New Leader|Charu Kasturi|September 10, 2020|Ozy
In addition to pinpointing medically legitimate reasons to make CRISPR babies, the panelists also called for an international body to oversee the work.
The “staged rollout” of gene-modified babies could start with sickle-cell disease|Amy Nordrum|September 3, 2020|MIT Technology Review
Not if people are just trying to knock you, but if they’re trying to be substantive, serious, legitimate.
Full Transcript: Tomi Lahren on ‘The Carlos Watson Show’|Daniel Malloy|August 31, 2020|Ozy
Urban was partially inspired by Andrej Karpathy, who a few years ago trained a neural network to generate mathematical-looking nonsense that looked legitimate to nonexperts.
How Close Are Computers to Automating Mathematical Reasoning?|Stephen Ornes|August 27, 2020|Quanta Magazine
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 valida legitimate question
authorized, sanctioned by, or in accordance with law
of, relating to, or ruling by hereditary righta legitimate monarch
of or relating to a body of famous long-established plays as distinct from films, television, vaudeville, etcthe legitimate theatre