Meaning

In accordance with the law or established legal forms and requirements..

Definitions by Sense

1. In accordance with the law or established legal forms and requirements.
2. Conforming to known principles, or established or accepted rules or standards; valid.
3. Authentic, real, genuine.
4. Marital.
5. Relating to hereditary rights.
6. Belonging or relating to the legitimate theater.
7. A person born to a legally married couple.
8. (transitive) To make legitimate, lawful, or valid; especially, to put in the position or state of a legitimate person before the law, by legal means.

Example Sentences

Rodwell was sent off by referee Martin Atkinson - who has shown 15 red cards since the start of last season - after 23 minutes for what appeared to be a legitimate challenge on Suarez.

According to the tweet, the encounter began with "a traffic stop for unlawful speed." If so, then the initial stop was legitimate, but in and of itself that wouldn't be probable cause to search the car. It does give an officer the right to look inside, and if contraband is in plain view, that would be probable cause. Here we don't know whether the bag full of drugs marked "BAG FULL OF DRUGS" was laying out in plain view, but it seems entirely possible.

legitimate reasoning; a legitimate standard or method

Tillotson still keeps his place as a legitimate English classic.

legitimate poems of Chaucer; legitimate inscriptions

The truth is, when we fail to protect legitimate rights of others and continue to expand the net of lies and defamation, every one would become victims one day including ourselves.

But should a “holy alliance of legitimates” extinguish it, it will be but for a season.

This extraordinarily mixed family of legitimates and illegitimates seems to have maintained a certain kind of harmony.

Word Forms

• more legitimate
• most legitimate
• legitimates
• legitimating
• legitimated

Synonyms for legitimate

Antonyms for legitimate

Related Words

When Should You Use Legitimate?

Use legitimate when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

Practice This Word

Frequently Asked Questions