legitimate

Verb · Adjective
Synonyms: legalizelegalisedecriminalizedecriminaliselegitimizelegitimiselegitimatizelegitimatiselogicallawfullicit

WordNet 3.0

Verb (3)

  1. make legal“Marijuana should be legalized”Synonyms: legalizelegalisedecriminalizedecriminaliselegitimizelegitimiselegitimatizelegitimatise
  2. show or affirm to be just and legitimate
  3. make (an illegitimate child) legitimate; declare the legitimacy of (someone)“They legitimized their natural child”

Adjective (4)

  1. of marriages and offspring; recognized as lawful
  2. based on known statements or events or conditions“rain was a logical expectation, given the time of year”Synonyms: logical
  3. in accordance with recognized or accepted standards or principles“legitimate advertising practices”
  4. authorized, sanctioned by, or in accordance with law“a legitimate government”Synonyms: lawfullicit
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Legitimate \Le*git"i*mate\ (-m[asl]t), a. [LL. legitimatus, p. p. of legitimare to legitimate, fr. L. legitimus legitimate. See Legal.]

1.Accordant with law or with established legal forms and requirements; lawful; as, legitimate government; legitimate rights; the legitimate succession to the throne; a legitimate proceeding of an officer; a legitimate heir. [1913 Webster]

2.Lawfully begotten; born in wedlock. [1913 Webster]

3.Authorized; real; genuine; not false, counterfe`t, or spurious; as,$legitimate poems of Chaucer; legitimate inscriptions. [1913 Webster]

4.Conforming to known principles, or accepted rules; as, legitimate reasoning; a legitimate standard, or method; a legitimate combination of colors. [1913 Webster]

Tillotson still keeps his place as a legitimate English classic.— Macaulay.[1913 Webster]

5.Following by logical sequence; reasonable; as, a legitimate result; a legitimate inference. [1913 Webster]

Legitimate \Le*git"i*mate\ (-m[=a]t), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Legitimated (-m[=a]`t[e^]d); p. pr. & vb. n. Legitimating (-m[=a]`t[i^]ng).] To make legitimate, lawful, or valid; esp., to put in the position or state of a legitimate person before the law, by legal means; as, to legitimate a bastard child. [1913 Webster]

To enact a statute of that which he dares not seem to approve, even to legitimate vice. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

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