illegitimate

[ adjective noun il-i-jit-uh-mit; verb il-i-jit-uh-meyt ]

adjective

1. born of parents who are not married to each other; born out of wedlock:

   an illegitimate child.

2. not legitimate; not sanctioned by law or custom.
3. unlawful; illegal:

   an illegitimate action.

4. irregular; not in good usage.
5. Logic. not in accordance with the principles of valid inference.
6. Obsolete. (formerly, in London)
   1. of or relating to stage plays in which musical numbers were inserted because of laws that gave only a few theaters the exclusive right to produce straight dramas.
   2. acting in or producing such productions.

noun

1. a person recognized or looked upon as illegitimate.

verb (used with object)

, il·le·git·i·mat·ed, il·le·git·i·mat·ing.

1. to declare illegitimate.

illegitimate

/ ˌɪlɪˈdʒɪtɪmɪt /

adjective

1. born of parents who were not married to each other at the time of birth; bastard
2. forbidden by law; illegal; unlawful
3. contrary to logic; incorrectly reasoned

noun

1. an illegitimate person; bastard

Derived Forms

• ˌilleˈgitimately, adverb
• ˌilleˈgitimacy, noun

Other Words From

• ille·giti·mate·ly adverb
• ille·giti·mate·ness ille·giti·mation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of illegitimate¹

First recorded in 1530–40; il- ² + legitimate

Synonym Study

See illegal.

Example Sentences

She was also an autodidact, an illegitimate girl from the provinces whose intelligence became the stuff of legend.

From The Daily Beast

You should be so proud of yourself working for an illegitimate rag like the Daily Beast.

From The Daily Beast

In 1483 the princes were publicly declared illegitimate by a cleric.

From The Daily Beast

But a large majority also view the government in Kiev as illegitimate.

From The Daily Beast

Britain is not illegitimate because it has a cross on its flag and an Anglican head of a state.

From The Daily Beast

Estates sufficient to support the highest rank in the peerage were distributed among his illegitimate children.

From Project Gutenberg

To the class of mothers of illegitimate children the Commissioners devoted much attention.

From Project Gutenberg

We find it advising that the mothers of illegitimate children should, on this ground alone, not be granted outdoor relief.

From Project Gutenberg

The population tends slowly to increase; about 45% of the births are illegitimate, and males are more numerous than females.

From Project Gutenberg

Her baby, when born, is exposed as being illegitimate, but found by a goatherd and brought up—becoming the all but deified Atys.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• illegal
• illicit
• improper
• invalid
• unauthorized
• unconstitutional
• unlawful