The word "legitimate" has a rather tricky spelling, but can be broken down phonetically as ləˈdʒɪtəmət. The first syllable has a schwa sound followed by a "j" sound, then the word continues with a short "i" sound, and ends with the syllables "mate" and "emit" pronounced as one. The word means to be true, lawful or acceptable. It's important to use the correct spelling in writing and communication to avoid confusion or misinterpretations.
Legitimate is an adjective that describes something that is valid, legal, or rightful according to established principles, laws, or norms. It refers to a person, action, document, or concept that has genuine authority, authenticity, or credibility.
When something is legitimate, it conforms to the accepted standards or rules of conduct. It implies that it is within the boundaries of what is considered proper or acceptable. For instance, a legitimate business operates in compliance with legal requirements, ethical guidelines, and industry standards.
In the context of personal identity, legitimacy refers to the legal or accepted recognition of a person's status or parentage. A legitimate child is one whose parents are legally married, granting them certain rights and privileges. Similarly, a legitimate heir is someone recognized as having the rightful claim to inherit an estate or title.
In governance and politics, a legitimate government is one that exercises authority in accordance with the constitution and the will of the people. It enjoys popular support and recognition, often through fair and transparent elections.
In summary, legitimate relates to the overall validity, legality, or credibility of something or someone. It encompasses adherence to established rules, standards, and principles, and suggests rightful status, authenticity, and authority.
• Lawful; born in wedlock; genuine; real; not false; fairly deducible.
• To render lawful.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word legitimate has its roots in the Latin term legitimatus. It is derived from the verb legitimare, which means to make lawful or to declare legal. This Latin word, in turn, comes from lex, meaning law. Over time, legitimatus evolved into the Old French word legitimer, and eventually made its way into English in the 15th century as legitimate.