le·git·i·mate
(lə-jĭt́ə-mĭt)
[Middle English legitimat, born in wedlock, from Medieval Latin lēgitimātus, law-worthy past participle of lēgitimāre, to make lawful, from Latin lēgitimus, legitimate, from lēx, lēg-, law.]
adjective
- Being in compliance with the law; lawful: a legitimate business.
- Being in accordance with established or accepted patterns and standards: legitimate advertising practices.
- Based on logical reasoning; reasonable: a legitimate solution to the problem.
- Authentic; genuine: a legitimate complaint.
- Born of legally married parents: legitimate issue.
- Of, relating to, or ruling by hereditary right: a legitimate monarch.
- Of or relating to drama of high professional quality that excludes burlesque, vaudeville, and some forms of musical comedy: the legitimate theater.
transitive verb: -mat·ed, -mat·ing, -mates.
- To make legitimate, as:
- To give legal force or status to; make lawful.
- To establish (a child born out of wedlock) as legitimate by legal means.
- To sanction formally or officially; authorize.
- To demonstrate or declare to be justified.
derivatives
- le·git́i·mate·ly
- adverb
- le·git́i·mate·ness
- noun
- le·git́i·mátion
- noun
- le·git́i·mat́or
- noun
