Legitimate: meaning, definitions and examples

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legitimate

 

[ lɪˈdʒɪtɪmət ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

in a legal or rightful manner

Conforming to the law or to rules. Legitimate businesses pay their taxes on time.

Synonyms

authorized, lawful, legal, valid

Examples of usage

  • The company operates in a legitimate manner, following all regulations and laws.
  • She had legitimate reasons for being late to the meeting.
Context #2 | Adjective

genuine or real

Being in accordance with established or accepted rules and standards. A legitimate claim to the throne.

Synonyms

authentic, genuine, real, valid

Examples of usage

  • This document is a legitimate copy of the original.
  • He has a legitimate right to be concerned about his safety.
Context #3 | Adjective

reasonable and acceptable

Justifiable or reasonable. The criticism is perfectly legitimate.

Synonyms

acceptable, justified, reasonable, valid

Examples of usage

  • It is a legitimate question to ask in this situation.
  • His concerns are legitimate and should be addressed.

Translations

Translations of the word "legitimate" in other languages:

🇵🇹 legítimo

🇮🇳 वैध

🇩🇪 legitim

🇮🇩 legitim

🇺🇦 легітимний

🇵🇱 legitymny

🇯🇵 合法の

🇫🇷 légitime

🇪🇸 legítimo

🇹🇷 meşru

🇰🇷 합법적인

🇸🇦 شرعي

🇨🇿 legitimní

🇸🇰 legitímny

🇨🇳 合法的

🇸🇮 legitimno

🇮🇸 löglegur

🇰🇿 заңды

🇬🇪 ლეგიტიმური

🇦🇿 legitim

🇲🇽 legítimo

Etymology

The word 'legitimate' originated from the Latin word 'legitimatus', past participle of 'legitimare', meaning 'to make lawful'. It entered the English language in the mid-15th century. The concept of legitimacy has been important in various contexts, including law, government, and social relationships.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #3,649, this word is part of upper-intermediate vocabulary. While not among the most basic terms, it appears often enough to be valuable for advanced communication.