legitimate

/lɪˈdʒɪtɪmət/

Say it: luh-JIT-uh-mit

1. adjective Able to be defended with logic or justification; fair and reasonable.
She had a legitimate reason for being absent from the meeting.
2. adjective Conforming to the law or to established rules and principles.
The international observers confirmed that the election was legitimate.
3. verb To make something lawful, acceptable, or justified.
The court's decision served to legitimate the company's controversial practices.

📖 Seen in the wild

The company ensured that all its business practices were entirely legitimate and ethical.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ legitimate in a sentence

He runs a legitimate online business selling vintage clothing.
Many people have raised legitimate concerns about the environmental impact of the new factory.
Is that a legitimate excuse, or are you just avoiding the issue?
The film is a legitimate contender for several major awards.
Her claim to the inheritance was recognized as legitimate by the estate.
While his anger was legitimate, his response was completely out of line.
The new government is struggling to be seen as legitimate on the world stage.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

valid lawful legal justifiable authentic rightful proper sound

valid · suggests something is sound, well-grounded, and officially acceptable.

lawful · refers specifically to what is permitted by the law.

legal · is very similar to lawful, pertaining directly to the letter of the law.

justifiable · emphasizes that an action can be defended as right or reasonable.

Opposites: illegitimate, unlawful, invalid, illicit, unjustified

🌱 Where it comes from

The word legitimate traces back to the Latin 'legitimus', meaning lawful, which itself comes from 'lex', the Latin word for law. It entered English in the 15th century, first used to describe a child born to married parents, thus having a lawful claim to inheritance. Over time, its meaning broadened to cover anything that is lawful, proper, or justifiable.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

legitimate concernlegitimate reasonlegitimate businesslegitimate governmentperfectly legitimatelegitimate heir

Pay attention to pronunciation, which differs for the adjective (luh-JIT-uh-mit) and the verb (luh-JIT-uh-mayt). While the word is neutral, its historical sense referring to a child born to married parents is now often considered dated and potentially offensive. The informal clipping 'legit' is widespread in casual speech but should be avoided in formal or professional writing.

Word family: legitimately, legitimacy, legitimize, legitimation

💬 Quick answers

What does legitimate mean in simple terms?

It means something is lawful, valid, or reasonable according to accepted rules or principles. If a reason is legitimate, it's a good and fair one.

What is the difference between 'legitimate' and 'legal'?

'Legal' strictly refers to what the law allows. 'Legitimate' is broader, also meaning reasonable or justifiable, even in contexts not related to law. You can have a legitimate fear, but not a 'legal' fear.

How do you pronounce 'legitimate'?

The pronunciation changes with the part of speech. The adjective is luh-JIT-uh-mit, while the verb is luh-JIT-uh-mayt.

Is 'legit' a real word?

'Legit' is a very common informal shortening of legitimate. It's fine for casual conversation but should be avoided in formal writing.

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