Definition of legitimate
(Entry 1 of 2)
b
: having full filial rights and obligations by birth
a legitimate child
2a
: being exactly as intended or presented : neither spurious nor false
a legitimate grievance a legitimate claim a legitimate practitioner " … we are pretty good at separating legitimate pain from drug-seeking behavior. … "— Kenneth W. Fogelberg
also
: being an actual example of something specified
a legitimate threat to national security
b
: genuinely good, impressive, or capable of success
And if he can fix his start … he is a legitimate contender for gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.— Sean Ingle
3a
: accordant with law or with established legal forms and requirements
a legitimate government
b
: ruling by or based on the strict principle of hereditary right
a legitimate king
4
: conforming to recognized principles or accepted rules and standards
a legitimate advertising expenditure a legitimate inference
also
: fair or reasonable : valid
She raised some legitimate concerns.
5
: relating to plays acted by professional actors but not including revues, burlesque, or some forms of musical comedy
the legitimate theater
legitimate
verb
legitimated; legitimating
Definition of legitimate (Entry 2 of 2)
: to make (someone or something) legitimate (see legitimate entry 1):
a(1)
: to give legal status or authorization to
(2)
: to show or affirm to be justified
(3)
: to lend authority or respectability to
b
: to give (a child born out of wedlock) the same legal status as a child born in wedlock
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for legitimate
The first known use of legitimate was in the 15th century
See more words from the same century