- (a.) Following by logical sequence; reasonable; as, a legitimate result; a legitimate inference.
- (a.) Lawfully begotten; born in wedlock.
- (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.
- (a.) Conforming to known principles or accepted rules; as, legitimate reasoning; a legitimate standard or method; a legitimate combination of colors.
- (v.t.) To make legitimate, lawful or valid; especially, to put in the position or state of a legitimate person before the law, by legal means; as, to legitimate a bastard child.
- (a.) Authorized; real; genuine; not false, counterfeit or spurious; as, legitimate poems of Chaucer; legitimate inscriptions.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). legitimate. Retrieved September 23, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/legitimate/definitions/2027273 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "legitimate" http://smartdefine.org/legitimate/definitions/2027273 (accessed September 23, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, legitimate, Smart Define, viewed 23 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/legitimate/definitions/2027273>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "legitimate" 27 May 2011. Web. 23 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/legitimate/definitions/2027273> |