[le.git.i.mate] adj [ME legitimat, fr. ML legitimatus, pp. of legitimare to legitimate, fr. L legitimus legitimate, fr. leg-, lex law] (15c) 1 a: lawfully begotten; specif: born in wedlock b: having full filial rights and obligations by birth "a ~ child"
2: being exactly as purposed: neither spurious nor false "~ grievance" "a ~ practitioner" 3 a: accordant with law or with established legal forms and requirements "a ~ government" b: ruling by or based on the strict principle of hereditary right "a ~ king"
4: conforming to recognized principles or accepted rules and standards "~ advertising expenditure" "~ inference"
5: relating to plays acted by professional actors but not including revues, burlesque, or some forms of musical comedy "the ~ theater" syn see lawful -- le.git.i.mate.ly adv
[2]le.git.i.mate vt -mat.ed ; -mat.ing (1531): to make legitimate: a (1): to give legal status or authorization to (2): to show or affirm to be justified b: to put (a bastard) in the state of a legitimate child before the law by legal means -- le.git.i.ma.tion n -- le.git.i.mat.or n