illegitimacy

American  

[il-i-jit-uh-muh-see] / ˌɪl ɪˈdʒɪt ə mə si /

noun

illegitimacies plural

1. the state or quality of being illegitimate.

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illegitimacy Cultural  

1. The condition of being born to unmarried parents. It was once considered a mark of disgrace but is generally more accepted now.

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Etymology

Origin of illegitimacy

First recorded in 1670–80; illegitim(ate) + -acy

Example Sentences

Mr. Brandreth also appreciates quite a few of Milne’s 40 well-made plays, which fashionably skirt around then-trendy issues of authenticity and illegitimacy in the most un-Ibsen-like way possible.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

He also insisted that Iran's doctrine was "rooted in our belief in the prohibition and illegitimacy of nuclear weapons".

From BBC • Jun. 19, 2025

"This is a losing proposition all around. The Judiciary will lose much from the constant intimations of its illegitimacy," he wrote.

From Salon • Apr. 18, 2025

As I was reading the book, I remembered the illegitimacy I felt as a child when I realized my parents were unwed.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 16, 2023

The elder brother’s cowardice told him, in his craftier head, that a son could hardly raise his illegitimacy as a banner under which to overthrow his father.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White