legitimateness Definition

legitimate
adj

1. Lawful.

Thesaurus: legal, licit, lawful, sanctioned, valid, warranted, justifiable, proper, rightful, correct.
2. Born to parents who are married to each other, either at the time of the birth or subsequently.
3. Said of an argument or conclusion, etc: reasonable or logical.
4. Said of a sovereign: ruling according to strict hereditary right.
5. Genuine.

Thesaurus: authentic, real, genuine, rightful, authenticated, vouched-for, attested.
6. Conforming to an accepted standard.
7. According to strict rules of heredity and primogeniture.

verb legitimated, legitimating

1. To make lawful or legitimate.
2. To give someone the rights of a legitimate child.

Derivative: legitimateness
noun

Etymology: 15c: from Latin legitimare to declare as lawful.