legitimacy

noun

le·​git·​i·​ma·​cy li-ˈji-tə-mə-sē 

: the quality or state of being legitimate

Synonyms of legitimacy

• lawfulness
• legality

Examples of legitimacy in a Sentence

the legitimacy of the military dictatorship was not recognized by most other nations

Recent Examples on the Web

The regime transmuted its coercive force into political legitimacy through the spectacular destruction of dissident bodies, restoring reverence for the Eagle. — Abdelrahman Elgendy, Time, 6 Oct. 2026

Certainly there were clear taboos, beginning with questioning the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party and criticizing the country’s central leadership. — Howard W. French, The New York Review of Books, 3 Oct. 2026

Here again, actors deploying crypto’s financial heft crashed through boundaries that would have earlier been difficult for artists to circumnavigate without having achieved legitimacy through more conventional pathways in existing hierarchies. — Simon Denny, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

The woman questioned the legitimacy of the message and brought it to authorities. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 30 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for legitimacy

• illegitimacy

Kids Definition

legitimacy

noun

le·​git·​i·​ma·​cy li-ˈjit-ə-mə-sē 

: the quality or state of being legitimate

Legal Definition

legitimacy

noun

le·​git·​i·​ma·​cy li-ˈji-tə-mə-sē 

: the quality or state of being legitimate