legitimate

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /lɪˈd͡ʒɪt.ɪ.mət/ See IPA manual

Freq #6262

Meanings

1

adj
Allowed by or in accordance with the law.

They run a legitimate business that pays all its taxes.
2

adj
Reasonable and acceptable; valid.

She raised a legitimate concern about the plan.
3

adj
Real and genuine, not fake.

Make sure the website is legitimate before you enter your card details.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · allowed by or in accordance... lawful legal licit

2 adj · reasonable and acceptable;... acceptable valid rightful

3 adj · real and genuine, not fake. authentic genuine real

Opposites

bastard illegitimate

Word family

Forms legitimatedlegitimateslegitimating

Derived forms legitimatelylegitimatenesslegitimatizelegitimatornonlegitimatesemilegitimate

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

legitimate government
A government regarded as having a lawful or properly recognized right to rule.

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Legitimate entered English in the late Middle English period through French and ultimately belongs to the family of Latin lex, leg- “law.”

Etymology

From Middle English legitimat, legytymat, from Medieval Latin lēgitimātus, perfect passive participle of Latin lēgitimō (“to make legal”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from Latin lēgitimus (“lawful”), originally "fixed by law, in line with the law," from Latin lēx (“law”). Originally "lawfully begotten". The noun was derived from the adjective within English or earlier by substantivization (see -ate (noun-forming suffix)), the verb from the adjective by conversion (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)).

legitimat Middle English lēgitimātus la-med lēgitimō Latin lēgitimus Latin lēx Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# legitimate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /lɪˈd͡ʒɪt.ɪ.mət/
**Frequency rank:** 6262

## Meanings
1. Allowed by or in accordance with the law.
2. Reasonable and acceptable; valid.
3. Real and genuine, not fake.

## Examples
- They run a legitimate business that pays all its taxes.
- She raised a legitimate concern about the plan.
- Make sure the website is legitimate before you enter your card details.

## Antonyms
- bastard
- illegitimate

## Derived Forms
- legitimately
- legitimateness
- legitimatize
- legitimator
- nonlegitimate
- semilegitimate

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: legitimat
- Root: lēgitimātus
- Root: lēgitimō
- Root: lēgitimus
- Root: lēx

## Etymology
From Middle English legitimat, legytymat, from Medieval Latin lēgitimātus, perfect passive participle of Latin lēgitimō (“to make legal”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from Latin lēgitimus (“lawful”), originally "fixed by law, in line with the law," from Latin lēx (“law”). Originally "lawfully begotten". The noun was derived from the adjective within English or earlier by substantivization (see -ate (noun-forming suffix)), the verb from the adjective by conversion (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)).

## AI Etymology
Legitimate comes from Middle English legitimat, legytymat, from Medieval Latin lēgitimātus, perfect passive participle of Latin lēgitimō (“to make legal”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from Latin lēgitimus (“lawful”), originally "fixed by law, in line with the law," from Latin lēx (“law”). Originally "lawfully begotten". The noun was derived from the adjective within English or earlier by substantivization (see -ate (noun-forming suffix)), the verb from the adjective by conversion (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)).

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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