le·git·i·mate (l -j t -mt)adj. 1. Being in compliance with the law; lawful: a legitimate business. 2. Being in accordance with established or accepted patterns and standards: legitimate advertising practices. 3. Based on logical reasoning; reasonable: a legitimate solution to the problem. 4. Authentic; genuine: a legitimate complaint. 5. Born of legally married parents: legitimate issue. 6. Of, relating to, or ruling by hereditary right: a legitimate monarch. 7. Of or relating to drama of high professional quality that excludes burlesque, vaudeville, and some forms of musical comedy: the legitimate theater. tr.v. (-m  t ) le·git·i·mat·ed, le·git·i·mat·ing, le·git·i·mates To make legitimate, as: a. To give legal force or status to; make lawful. b. To establish (a child born out of wedlock) as legitimate by legal means. c. To sanction formally or officially; authorize. d. To demonstrate or declare to be justified. [Middle English legitimat, born in wedlock, from Medieval Latin l  gitimtus, law-worthy, past participle of lgitimre, to make lawful, from Latin lgitimus, legitimate, from lx, lg-, law; see leg- in Indo-European roots.]le·git i·mate·ly adv.le·git i·mate·ness n.le·git i·mation n.le·git i·mator (-mtr) n. |
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