/lɪˈdʒɪtɪmət/1
- conforming to the law or to rules合法的; 合乎规矩的：
his claims to legitimate authority.
他为得到合法授权所提出的要求。
1.1
- able to be defended with logic or justification合乎逻辑的, 正当的：
a legitimate excuse for being late.
正当的迟到理由。
1.2
- (of a child) born of parents lawfully married to each other（子女）合法婚生的。
1.3
- (of a sovereign) having a title based on strict hereditary right（君主）有合法王位继承权的：
the last legitimate Anglo-Saxon king.
最后一位有合法王位继承权的盎格鲁撒克逊国王。
1.4
- constituting or relating to serious drama as distinct from musical comedy, revue, etc.（与音乐喜剧、滑稽剧相对）正剧的：
the legitimate theatre
正剧戏院。
/lɪˈdʒɪtɪmeɪt/
with obj.
- make legitimate; justify or make lawful使合法化, 使正当化：
the regime was not legitimated by popular support.
那个政权并没得到大众支持从而变得合法。
派生词
legitimacy
nounlegitimately
adverblegitimation
nounlegitimatization
nounlegitimatize
（亦作 -ise）verb词源
late Middle English （in the sense 'born of parents lawfully married to each other'）： from medieval Latin legitimatus 'made legal'， from the verb legitimare, from Latin legitimus 'lawful'， from lex, leg-'law'.