legitimacy
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of legitimacy
First recorded in 1685–95; legitim(ate) + -acy
Explanation
The noun legitimacy means authenticity. If you found an old copy of the Gettysburg Address in your grandmother's attic, you'd have to question its legitimacy when you realized it was written on the back of a car advertisement. Legitimacy comes from the Latin verb legitimare, which means lawful. Legitimacy, then, refers to something that is legal because it meets the specific requirements of the law. The legitimacy of various countries' presidential elections is often discussed, with monitors keeping track of the voting procedures to make sure they follow all the necessary rules.
Vocabulary lists containing legitimacy
Power Suffix: -acy
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
No reshuffle or reform can substitute for the legitimacy and accountability that an election provides.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
"Kyaw Moe Tun's continued representation of Myanmar at the United Nations does not constitute formal recognition of his legitimacy," the ministry said.
From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026
Like Mali and Burkina Faso, Tiani's government has built much of its legitimacy using the language of sovereignty, pan-Africanism and liberation from former colonial powers.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
By exposing possible gaps in Assyria's official record of kings, Edmonds and Frahm offer a new perspective on how political legitimacy and historical memory may have shaped the story of the world's first empire.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026
That Ptolemy’s legitimacy as ruler stemmed from Alexander’s, and the great man was a student of Aristotle, was yet another significant factor.
From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
