# legitimate

> English word · Adjective · IPA /lɪˈd͡ʒɪt.ɪ.mət/ · frequency rank #4,959

## Definitions
1. In accordance with the law or established legal forms and requirements.
2. Conforming to known principles, or established or accepted rules or standards; valid.
3. Authentic, real, genuine.
4. Marital.
5. Marital.
6. Relating to hereditary rights.
7. Belonging or relating to the legitimate theater.

## Etymology
From Middle English legitimat, legytymat, from Medieval Latin lēgitimātus, perfect passive participle of Latin lēgitimō (“to make legal”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from Latin lēgitimus (“lawful”), originally "fixed by law, in line with the law," from Latin lēx (“law”). Originally "lawfully begotten".
The noun was derived from the adjective within English or earlier by substantivization (see -ate (noun-forming suffix)), the verb from the adjective by conversion (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)).

## Easily confused with
- **legitimize** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/legitimate-vs-legitimize)
- **legitimately** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/legitimate-vs-legitimately)
- **legitimacy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/legitimacy-vs-legitimate)

## Common misspellings (14)
`elgitimate`, `leggitimate`, `legiitmate`, `legitiamte`, `legitimaet`, `legitimatte`, `legitimmate`, `legitimtae`, `legitmiate`, `legittimate`, `legtiimate`, `leigtimate`, `lgeitimate`, `llegitimate`

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