legitimate - Dictionary Definition : Vocabulary.com

Something legitimate is the real deal — according to the law.

Legitimate has other variations of meaning. To legitimate something is to make it legal, either by passing a law or publicly recognizing it as in accordance with the law. A government can be legitimized by being invited to world talks, or a movie by winning a prestigious award.

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: legitimate

1	adj v	based on known statements or events or conditions show or affirm to be just and legitimate
2	adj v	authorized, sanctioned by, or in accordance with law make legal

FULL DEFINITIONS OF: legitimate

1

adj based on known statements or events or conditions

Synonyms:: logical

: valid
well grounded in logic or truth or having legal force

adj in accordance with recognized or accepted standards or principles

“legitimate advertising practices”

Synonyms: constituted, established
brought about or set up or accepted; especially long established

v show or affirm to be just and legitimate

Type of:: justify, vindicate
show to be right by providing justification or proof

2

adj authorized, sanctioned by, or in accordance with law

“a legitimate government”

Synonyms:: lawful, licit

: legal
established by or founded upon law or official or accepted rules

adj of marriages and offspring; recognized as lawful

Synonyms: authorised, authorized
endowed with authority; legal
established by or founded upon law or official or accepted rules; lawfully-begotten
born in wedlock; enjoying full filial rights; left-handed, morganatic
(of marriages) of a marriage between one of royal or noble birth and one of lower rank; valid but with the understanding that the rank of the inferior remains unchanged and offspring do not succeed to titles or property of the superior; lawful, rightful, true
having a legally established claim; valid
well grounded in logic or truth or having legal force

Antonyms:: illegitimate
of marriages and offspring; not recognized as lawful; unauthorised, unauthorized
not endowed with authority; illegal
prohibited by law or by official or accepted rules; adulterine
conceived in adultery; base, baseborn
illegitimate; bastardly, misbegot, misbegotten, spurious
born out of wedlock; fatherless
not having a known or legally responsible father; left-handed
(of marriages) illicit or informal; unlawful, wrongful
having no legally established claim; invalid
having no cogency or legal force; show more antonyms...

v make legal

Synonyms:: decriminalise, decriminalize, legalise, legalize, legitimatise, legitimatize, legitimise, legitimize

Antonyms:: criminalise, criminalize, illegalise, illegalize, outlaw
declare illegal; outlaw

Types:: monetise, monetize
give legal value to or establish as the legal tender of a country

Type of:: allow, countenance, let, permit
consent to, give permission

v make (an illegitimate child) legitimate; declare the legitimacy of (someone)

Type of:: alter, change, modify
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation