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legitimate

[ adjective, noun li-jit-uh-mit; verb li-jit-uh-meyt ]
/ adjective, noun lɪˈdʒɪt ə mɪt; verb lɪˈdʒɪt əˌmeɪt /
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See synonyms for: legitimate / legitimated / legitimates / legitimating on Thesaurus.com

adjective
verb (used with object), le·git·i·mat·ed, le·git·i·mat·ing.
noun
the legitimate, the legitimate theater or drama.
a person who is established as being legitimate.
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Origin of legitimate

First recorded in 1485–95, legitimate is from the Medieval Latin word lēgitimātus (past participle of lēgitimāre to make lawful). See legitim, -ate1

OTHER WORDS FROM legitimate

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH legitimate

legitimate , legitimize
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use legitimate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for legitimate

legitimate

adjective (lɪˈdʒɪtɪmɪt)
verb (lɪˈdʒɪtɪˌmeɪt)
(tr) to make, pronounce, or show to be legitimate

Derived forms of legitimate

legitimacy or legitimateness, nounlegitimately, adverblegitimation, noun

Word Origin for legitimate

C15: from Medieval Latin lēgitimātus made legal, from lēx law
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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