illegitimize

[ il-i-jit-uh-mahyz ]

verb (used with object),il·le·git·i·mized, il·le·git·i·miz·ing.
  1. to make illegitimate: The decree illegitimized his heirs.

Origin of illegitimize

1
First recorded in 1855–60; illegitim(ate) + -ize
  • Also especially British, il·le·git·i·mise .
  • Also il·le·git·i·ma·tize, especially British, il·le·git·i·ma·tise [il-i-jit-uh-muh-tahyz] /ˌɪl ɪˈdʒɪt ə məˌtaɪz/ .

Words Nearby illegitimize

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use illegitimize in a sentence

  • Sometimes they would illegitimize two or three generations in order to find a marriage within the forbidden degrees.

    We Can't Have Everything | Rupert Hughes