legitimacy

noun

le·​git·​i·​ma·​cy li-ˈji-tə-mə-sē 

: the quality or state of being legitimate

Synonyms of legitimacy

• lawfulness
• legality

Examples of legitimacy in a Sentence

the legitimacy of the military dictatorship was not recognized by most other nations

Recent Examples on the Web

Bluntly, undoing two citywide votes on this basis is a democratic legitimacy problem. — Zack Defazio Farrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 July 2026

In 2006, its English-language edition reached a million articles, a milestone that signalled both scale and legitimacy. — Carson Griffith, New Yorker, 30 July 2026

When the people responsible for setting said policies are frequent violators, the problem becomes one of legitimacy. — Dmitriy Stepanov, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

The formal sites of democratic legitimacy—political parties, elections, the Parliament—are no longer seen as credible venues for demanding accountability. — Yamini Aiyar, Time, 29 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for legitimacy

• illegitimacy

Kids Definition

legitimacy

noun

le·​git·​i·​ma·​cy li-ˈjit-ə-mə-sē 

: the quality or state of being legitimate

Legal Definition

legitimacy

noun

le·​git·​i·​ma·​cy li-ˈji-tə-mə-sē 

: the quality or state of being legitimate