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   legitimate

   adjective

   • 1. conforming to the law or to rules: "his claims to legitimate authority" Similar legallawfullicitlegalizedauthorizedpermittedpermissibleallowableallowedadmissiblerecognizedsanctionedapprovedlicensedstatutoryconstitutionalwithin the lawgoing by the rulesabove boardvalidhonestuprightinformal:legitby the bookOpposite illegalillegitimate
   • ▪ (of a child) born of parents lawfully married to each other: "a legitimate male heir" Similar rightfullawfulgenuineauthenticrealtruepropercorrectauthorizedsanctionedwarrantedacknowledgedrecognizedapprovedjustinformal:legitkosherpukkaOpposite falsefraudulent
   • ▪ (of a sovereign) having a title based on strict hereditary right: "the last legitimate Anglo-Saxon king" Similar rightfullawfulgenuineauthenticrealtruepropercorrectauthorizedsanctionedwarrantedacknowledgedrecognizedapprovedjustinformal:legitkosherpukkaOpposite falsefraudulent
   • 2. able to be defended with logic or justification; valid: "a legitimate excuse for being late" Similar validsoundadmissibleacceptablewell foundedjustifiablereasonablesensibletenabledefensiblesupportablejustwarrantablefairbona fidepropergenuineplausiblecrediblebelievablereliableunderstandablelogicalrationalOpposite invalidunjustifiable
   • 3. constituting or relating to serious drama as distinct from musical comedy, revue, etc.: "the legitimate theatre"

   verb

   • 1. make lawful or justify: "the regime was not legitimated by popular support"

   Word Origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘born of parents lawfully married to each other’): from medieval Latin legitimatus ‘made legal’, from the verb legitimare, from Latin legitimus ‘lawful’, from lex, leg- ‘law’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. legitimation noun

   Scrabble Points: 13

   • L

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   • E

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   • M

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   • A

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