"legitimate" Definition

Definitions for the word "legitimate" from multiple English dictionaries.

1. a.
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.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
2. a.
Lawfully begotten; born in wedlock.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
3. a.
Authorized; real; genuine; not false, counterfeit, or spurious; as, legitimate poems of Chaucer; legitimate inscriptions.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
4. a.
Conforming to known principles, or accepted rules; as, legitimate reasoning; a legitimate standard, or method; a legitimate combination of colors.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
5. a.
Following by logical sequence; reasonable; as, a legitimate result; a legitimate inference.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
6. v. t.
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.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
7. adj.
1 (of a child) born of parents married to each other. 2 lawful, proper, regular. 3 logically acceptable. legitimacy n. Legitimately adv. [latin legitimo legitimize, from lex legis law]
Source: Oxford English Dictionary, 1884

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Additional Info
This page provides a list of definitions and meanings for "legitimate" from various historical English dictionaries. By displaying multiple definitions, you can compare and contrast different meanings and nuances of a word, phrase, or slang. You can also see the changes in meaning of "legitimate" over time by viewing the definitions from different dictionaries published at different times in history. The page also includes other information to help users expand their vocabulary and understand the context of the word.

Important Notes
The definitions for words, phrases and slang (such as "legitimate") in this dictionary are sourced from multiple sources - including sources historical in nature. The sources may contain outdated, inaccurate or even offensive information when viewed from a modern context. It is important to consider the date the dictionary was published and view such content from a historical perspective and consider that the meanings, interpretations and usage of words may have evolved over time. Users should cross-reference this information with contemporary sources for a more complete understanding.

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