Synonyms

legitimacy

American

[li-jit-uh-muh-see] / lɪˈdʒɪt ə mə si /

noun

the state or quality of being legitimate.

Synonyms:

rightfulness, legality, lawfulness

Other Word Forms

nonlegitimacy noun

Etymology

Origin of legitimacy

First recorded in 1685–95; legitim(ate) + -acy

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.

Levy: I knew that the matriarch of this family was so important to the legitimacy of this.

From Los Angeles Times

Gathering public input is fundamental to the legitimacy of regulatory agencies.

From Los Angeles Times

Until recently, there was at least an attempt to give interventions a veneer of legitimacy through U.N. endorsement.

From The Wall Street Journal

The general assembly cannot force countries to pay reparations, but it can give the cause political legitimacy and bolster the case of those arguing for reparations.

From BBC

They agree to attach their names to “How’s That?!” to lend it legitimacy, and are virtually powerless to affect the plots generated by a program their network has deceptively nicknamed Al.

From Salon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023