legit

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adjective

le·​git li-ˈjit How to pronounce legit (audio)
informal
: legitimate: such as
a
: accordant with law or with established legal forms and requirements
a legit business
Nolan, a retired thief, is 50-ish and legit now, owner of a successful shopping-mall restaurant …Publishers Weekly
Set in Las Vegas in the '70s and '80s, "Casino" shows a mob man … trying to go legit while running a casino, but being dragged back into bloody conflict by a ruthless colleague …Bruce Westbrook
b
: being exactly as intended or presented : not spurious or false
The offer is legit.
"So, I double-checked the e-mail address, which looked legit, and I called the guy, and he seemed legit."Robert Kuttner
also : being an actual example of something specified
Phone addiction is a legit threat on the roads … Cam Fuller
But Betty … even goes out of her way to hurt Veronica by trying to strike up a new friendship with Cheryl Blossom. Cheryl is a legit psycho though and a total creep, so that doesn't last long. Benjamin Bailey
c
: genuinely good, impressive, or capable of success
They have a legit shot at winning the championship.
"She had this bad habit of making all her shots," said Washington coach Phil Chase. "Let's face it. She's legit."USA Today
For all the crap Killington takes, it's still one huge place with plenty of legit terrain and good skiers.Skiing
d
: conforming to recognized principles or accepted rules and standards
He has a legit claim to a rematch.
also : fair or reasonable : valid
a legit question/concern
There's an upside to your discomfort: It's a legit excuse to get a weekly massage. Richard Lalibert

legit

2 of 2

adverb

slang
: really, actually
used for emphasis
"… I got a lot going on, and I don't remember things very well, and I forgot. I legit forgot."Kristen Bell
"I legit tracked down the neighborhood ice cream truck guy and hit him up until he agreed to show on my block the day of the shoot. … "Miss Eaves
"Now, I didn't want to be one of the people disappointed in the finale. But I legit don't know what's happening. It's like they just gave up on a storyline."DeRay Mckesson
"I think we legit overpowered our monitors," country singer Brett Kissel proclaimed late in the evening at the Palomino Smokehouse in downtown Calgary.David Friend

Examples of legit in a Sentence

Adjective What she's doing is perfectly legit. All I want is a legit chance to succeed.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The Bruins’ one legit complaint this series was that Bennett’s tying goal in Game 4 ought to have been disallowed for interference in the crease. Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 15 May 2024 How to delete trackers How to lower your bill Is Temu legit? USA TODAY, 14 May 2024 The counterfeit pills are made to look like legit prescription opioid medications — like oxycodone or benzodiazepines — but are often far deadlier. Emma Bowman, NPR, 13 May 2024 Fighting with your natural stance isn’t the answer, but fixing some legit form issues with your squat might be. Jenny McCoy, SELF, 9 May 2024 For now, for him, the video is legit proof that aliens came to Earth. Chris Eberhart, Fox News, 9 May 2024 Jones said his driver's license was good, and his car was legit, noting there was no reason for officers to search his car. Greg Wehner, Fox News, 17 Apr. 2024 Here's what to look for to make sure your glasses are legit: Your eclipse glasses should be marked with the ISO certification number ISO 12312-2 on the glasses' frame and registered as a 'Solar Viewer Brand' with the American Astronomical Society (AAS). Journal Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2024 While some Volkswagen officials in Germany were telling The Wall Street Journal the announcement was an early April Fools' Day joke, other officials maintained the change was legit. Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 31 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'legit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1907, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1998, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of legit was in 1907

Dictionary Entries Near legit

Cite this Entry

“Legit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legit. Accessed 18 May. 2024.

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