Legitimate

Definition - adj
[Medieval Latin legitimatus, past participle of legitimare to give legal status to, from Latin legitimus legally sanctioned, from leg-, lex law]
1  : conceived or born of parents lawfully married to each other or having been made through legal procedure equal in status to one so conceived or born
also
: having rights and obligations under the law as the child of such birth
2  : being neither spurious nor false <a ~ grievance>
3  : being in accordance with law or with established legal forms and requirements <a ~ government>
4  : conforming to recognized principles or accepted rules and standards <a ~ claim of entitlement> <a ~ business reason>
Pronunciationl&-'ji-t&-m&t

Definition - Transitive Verb
: to make legitimate: as
a  : to give legal status or authorization to
b  : to show or affirm to be justified or have merit
c  : to put (an illegitimate child) in the state of a child born of married parents before the law by legal means
compare filiate
Pronunciationl&-'ji-t&-"mAt

Pronunciation Key

  • \&\ as a and u in a b ut
  • \[^&]\ as e in kitt en
  • \&r\ as ur and er in f urther
  • \a\ as a inash
  • \A\ as a in ace
  • \Š\ as o in m op
  • \au\ as ou in ou t
  • \ch\ as ch in ch in
  • \e\ as e in bet
  • \E\ as ea in easy
  • \g\ as g in go
  • \i\ as i in hit
    		•
  • \I\ as i in ice
  • \j\ as j in job
  • \[ng]\ as ng in sing
  • \O\ as o in go
  • \o\ as aw in law
  • \oi\ as oy in boy
  • \th\ as th in thin
  • \[th_]\ as thin the
  • \Ÿ\ as oo in loot
  • \u\ as oo in foot
  • \y\ as y in yet
  • \zh\ as si in vision
    		•


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    Based on Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©2001.
    Merriam-Webster, Incorporated
    Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.
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    collateral estoppel

    estoppel by judgment barring the relitigation of issues litigated by the same parties on a different cause of action


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