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.
Or is there some legitimacy to this investigation?
From Slate ● Oct. 13, 2026
Questions about the legitimacy of his group’s rapid growth—with some accusing the band of being an industry plant—came following a Wired article.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
Regulators warn that respected community or religious figures can sometimes lend legitimacy to financial opportunities without realizing they are doing so.
From Salon ● Sep. 26, 2026
Meyer said he would like to have a conversation with Trump about the reality of the situation, saying that as a "born Afrikaner", he has the "legitimacy" to speak about the subject.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
If he was seen to accept Bolton’s feigned girl as Arya, the northern lords who had gathered to bear witness to the match would have no grounds to question her legitimacy.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
