legitimately

adverb

le·​git·​i·​mate·​ly li-ˈji-tə-mət-lē 

: in a legitimate manner : according to what is lawful, permitted, appropriate, or reasonable

money earned legitimately [=legally]

a question that can be legitimately asked

… objects of ritual significance that were common tribal property seldom if ever could have come legitimately into nontribal hands.

—Robert McC. Adams

The other kind of steroids are the potent inflammation fighters widely and legitimately used to treat dozens of illnesses.

—Paul G. Donohue

… several objections to their book can legitimately be raised.

—Christopher Lehmann-Haupt

Examples of legitimately in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When electrolyte drinks actually make sense A few situations legitimately call for them. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2026

The goal is not to erase every single pay difference, but to ensure that there is an explanation for it rooted in objective factors—and that whatever cannot be legitimately explained is surfaced and addressed with rigor and on a regular basis. — Aniela Unguresan, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2026

When Carleen operated legitimately, its students struggled to pass the NCLEX. — Annie Martin, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026

What power is the president asserting here that would legitimately allow him, or the executive, to demand these changes? — John J. Martin, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined above