legitimate

Etymology

From Middle English legitimat, legytymat, from Medieval Latin lēgitimatus, perfect passive participle of Latin lēgitimō (“make legal”), from Latin lēgitimus (“lawful”), originally "fixed by law, in line with the law," from Latin lēx (“law”). Originally "lawfully begotten". The verb was derived from the adjective by conversion.

adj

1. In accordance with the law or established legal forms and requirements.
   Rodwell was sent off by referee Martin Atkinson - who has shown 15 red cards since the start of last season - after 23 minutes for what appeared to be a legitimate challenge on Suarez. October 1, 2011, Phil McNulty, “Everton 0 - 2 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport
   According to the tweet, the encounter began with "a traffic stop for unlawful speed." If so, then the initial stop was legitimate, but in and of itself that wouldn't be probable cause to search the car. It does give an officer the right to look inside, and if contraband is in plain view, that would be probable cause. Here we don't know whether the bag full of drugs marked "BAG FULL OF DRUGS" was laying out in plain view, but it seems entirely possible. 5 February 2020, Kevin Underhill, “Bag Marked "Bag Full of Drugs" Allegedly Full of Drugs”, in Lowering the Bar, archived from the original on 2022-12-16
2. Conforming to known principles, or established or accepted rules or standards; valid.
   legitimate reasoning; a legitimate standard or method
3. Authentic, real, genuine.
   legitimate poems of Chaucer; legitimate inscriptions
   The truth is, when we fail to protect legitimate rights of others and continue to expand the net of lies and defamation, every one would become victims one day including ourselves. December 20, 2020, Wen Sirui, “The Danger of One Voice from Mainstream Media”, in Minghui
4. Lawfully begotten, i.e., born to a legally married couple.
5. Relating to hereditary rights.
6. Belonging or relating to the legitimate theater.

noun

1. A person born to a legally married couple.
   But should a “holy alliance of legitimates” extinguish it, it will be but for a season. 1831, Alexander Scott Withers, Chronicles of Border Warfare
   This extraordinarily mixed family of legitimates and illegitimates seems to have maintained a certain kind of harmony. 1898, Sydney George Fisher, The True Benjamin Franklin
   His overweening pride received another shock through his new friends the legitimates. 1830, William Hone, Pamphlets and Parodies on Political Subjects

verb

1. (transitive) To make legitimate, lawful, or valid; especially, to put in the position or state of a legitimate person before the law, by legal means.