legitimist

American  

[li-jit-uh-mist] / lɪˈdʒɪt ə mɪst /

noun

1. a supporter of legitimate authority, especially of a claim to a throne based on direct descent.

---

adjective

1. Also legitimistic of, relating to, or supporting legitimate authority.

legitimist British  

/ lɪˈdʒɪtɪmɪst /

noun

1. a monarchist who supports the rule of a legitimate dynasty or of its senior branch

2. (formerly) a supporter of the elder line of the Bourbon family in France

3. a supporter of legitimate authority

---

adjective

1. of or relating to legitimists

Other Word Forms

• legitimism
  noun

Etymology

Origin of legitimist

1835–45; < Latin lēgitim ( us ) lawful ( see legitim) + -ist, modeled on French légitimiste

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

legitimist

Joseph de Maistre was "a fierce absolutist, a furious theocrat, an intransigent legitimist ... always and everywhere the champion of the hardest, narrowest and most inflexible dogmatism."

From Salon ● Jul. 1, 2023

She and an American lady were living in a French family, who had had great losses, but who had aristocratic relations and acquaintances; she lived in a legitimist atmosphere, but it was not too severe.

From The Heritage of the Kurts, Volume II (of 2) by Bj?rnson, Bj?rnstjerne

They adopted a strict legitimist theory of the descent of the crown, and denied the right of parliament to deal with the succession.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 5 English History by Various

The Catholic Church will never abandon a jot or tittle of her scholastic and orthodox system; she can no more do so than the Comte de Chambord can cease to be legitimist.

From Recollections of My Youth by Renan, Ernest

I know not whether it was the cause or the consequence of this sentiment that Balzac was a thorough legitimist.

From Hours in a Library, Volume I. (of III.) by Stephen, Leslie, Sir