Word
legitimate
Meanings
allowed by law or by official rules; legal
real, genuine, and not fake; authentic
reasonable and justified; based on a valid point or concern
Definition
Legitimate means lawful, valid, or accepted as real and justified.
If something is legitimate, it follows the law or rules and is officially acceptable. It can also mean that a claim, reason, or concern is genuine and reasonable, not invented or exaggerated. People often use it to contrast what is valid with what is fake, illegal, or unfair.
Examples
- I had a legitimate reason for leaving early, and my manager accepted it without hesitation.
- You should verify that the website is legitimate before you share your personal details.
- He raised a legitimate concern about data privacy during the project review.
- Her signature made the agreement legitimate in the eyes of the organization.
- They questioned whether the artifact was legitimate after noticing inconsistencies in the materials.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse legitimate with legit (informal) and use legit in formal writing where legitimate is more appropriate.
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More adjectives
- agnostic An agnostic is someone who does not claim to know whether God exists.
- pragmatic Pragmatic means focused on practical results rather than ideals or theories.
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- cynical Cynical describes believing that people are mainly motivated by self-interest and not sincere.
- apathetic Apathetic means showing little or no interest, concern, or enthusiasm.