# illegitimate

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ɪlɪˈd͡ʒɪtɪmət/ · frequency rank #16,497

## Definitions
1. Not conforming to known principles, or established or accepted rules or standards.
2. Not in accordance with the law.
3. Not sanctioned by marriage.
4. Not sanctioned by marriage.
5. Not sanctioned by marriage.
6. Not correctly deduced.
7. Not authorized by good usage; not genuine.
8. Involving the fertilization of pistils by stamens not of their own length, in heterogonously dimorphic and trimorphic flowers.

## Etymology
First attested in 1536, from Latin illēgitimus, most likely an adapted borrowing of Middle French illegitime, equivalent to il- + legitimate, see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3).

## Common misspellings (15)
`ilegitimate`, `ilelgitimate`, `illeggitimate`, `illegiitmate`, `illegitiamte`, `illegitimaet`, `illegitimatte`, `illegitimmate`, `illegitimtae`, `illegitmiate`, `illegittimate`, `illegtiimate`, `illeigtimate`, `illgeitimate`, `lilegitimate`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/illegitimate