1
Lawful authority
Recognised under applicable rules or law.
Example
The court confirmed the council’s legitimate authority.
legitimate
/lɪˈdʒɪtɪmət/ · lih-JIT-ih-muhtadjective
Conforming to law or accepted standards; reasonable and valid.
Use legitimate when the context supports this precise meaning: conforming to law or accepted standards; reasonable and valid.
What legitimate Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Valid concern
Reasonable and worthy of consideration.
Example
Residents raised legitimate concerns about groundwater.
3
Authentic status
Genuine rather than spurious.
Example
The signature was verified as legitimate.
Use legitimate Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
The court confirmed the council’s legitimate authority.
Residents raised legitimate concerns about groundwater.
The signature was verified as legitimate.
Precision Matters
Legitimate overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
legitimate
vs.Means conforming to law or accepted standards; reasonable and valid.
credible
Means believable and worthy of trust.
legitimate
vs.Means conforming to law or accepted standards; reasonable and valid.
spurious
Means false, invalid, or not genuine despite appearing plausible.
legitimate
vs.Means conforming to law or accepted standards; reasonable and valid.
legal
Means permitted or recognised by law.
legitimate
vs.Means conforming to law or accepted standards; reasonable and valid.
dubious
Means doubtful, questionable, or unlikely to be reliable.
Test legitimate in Context
The methodological concern is reasonable and valid.
1
The small sample is a ___ concern because it may limit how widely the findings apply.