adjective
Uncommon
illegitimate
ih-lih-JIH-tih-muht
Illegitimate (adjective) means not legally or officially sanctioned; not proper or authorised. Example: “The opposition called the election result illegitimate.”
adjective
1
Not legally or officially sanctioned; not proper or authorised.
"The opposition called the election result illegitimate."
"They questioned the illegitimate use of company funds."
2
Dated: born to parents who were not married to each other.
"In earlier centuries, an illegitimate child could be denied inheritance rights."
How to use illegitimate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNot legitimate — lacking legal or official standing, or (in older usage) born outside marriage.
Common pairings
illegitimate claim
illegitimate authority
illegitimate use
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Word forms
- Plural
- illegitimates
- Third person singular
- illegitimates
- Past tense
- illegitimated
- Comparative
- more illegitimate
- Superlative
- most illegitimate
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The opposition called the election result _____.
Etymology
From Latin illegitimus, formed from in- ("not") plus legitimus ("lawful"), likely via Middle French illegitime.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for illegitimate
See all rhymes for illegitimate →Frequently asked questions
What does “illegitimate” mean?
The word “illegitimate” means not legally or officially sanctioned; not proper or authorised. In plain terms, not legitimate — lacking legal or official standing, or (in older usage) born outside marriage.
How do you pronounce “illegitimate”?
“Illegitimate” is pronounced ih-lih-JIH-tih-muht ([ɪlɨˈd͡ʒɪɾəmɨt] in IPA).
How do you use “illegitimate” in a sentence?
Here is “illegitimate” used in a sentence: “The opposition called the election result illegitimate.”
What is another word for “illegitimate”?
Words with a similar meaning to “illegitimate” include base, baseborn, base born, bastardly, extramarital and misbegotten.
What is the opposite of “illegitimate”?
The opposite of “illegitimate” — its antonyms — is legitimate.
What part of speech is “illegitimate”?
“Illegitimate” is an adjective.
Where does the word “illegitimate” come from?
The word “illegitimate” comes from Latin. From Latin illegitimus, formed from in- ("not") plus legitimus ("lawful"), likely via Middle French illegitime.
Is “illegitimate” a common word?
“Illegitimate” is an uncommon word in modern English.
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