The difference between Illegitimate and Legitimate

When used as nouns, illegitimate means a person born to unmarried parents, whereas legitimate means a person born to a legally married couple.

When used as adjectives, illegitimate means not conforming to known principles, or established or accepted rules or standards, whereas legitimate means in accordance with the law or established legal forms and requirements.


Legitimate is also verb with the meaning: to make legitimate, lawful, or valid.

check bellow for the other definitions of Illegitimate and Legitimate

  1. Illegitimate as an adjective:

    Not conforming to known principles, or established or accepted rules or standards.

    Examples:

    "synonyms: invalid"

    "ant valid"

  2. Illegitimate as an adjective:

    Not in accordance with the law.

    Examples:

    "synonyms: illegaillicit unlawful"

    "ant legal"

  3. Illegitimate as an adjective (dated):

    Not sanctioned by marriage. Born to unmarried parents. Having a child or children with a person to whom one is not married.

    Examples:

    "synonyms: natural"

    "an illegitimate child"

  4. Illegitimate as an adjective:

    Not correctly deduced.

    Examples:

    "synonyms: illogicainvalid"

    "ant logicavalid"

    "an illegitimate inference"

  5. Illegitimate as an adjective:

    Not authorized by good usage; not genuine.

    Examples:

    "synonyms: spurious"

    "an illegitimate word"

  6. Illegitimate as an adjective (botany):

    Involving the fertilization of pistils by stamens not of their own length, in heterogonously dimorphic and trimorphic flowers.

    Examples:

    "illegitimate union; illegitimate fertilization"

  1. Illegitimate as a noun:

    A person born to unmarried parents.

    Examples:

    "synonyms: natural child lovechild bastard"

  1. Legitimate as an adjective:

    In accordance with the law or established legal forms and requirements; lawful.

  2. Legitimate as an adjective:

    Conforming to known principles, or established or accepted rules or standards; valid.

    Examples:

    "legitimate reasoning; a legitimate standard or method"

  3. Legitimate as an adjective:

    Authentic, real, genuine.

    Examples:

    "legitimate poems of Chaucer; legitimate inscriptions"

  4. Legitimate as an adjective:

    Lawfully begotten, i.e., born to a legally married couple.

  5. Legitimate as an adjective:

    Relating to hereditary rights.

  1. Legitimate as a noun:

    A person born to a legally married couple.

  1. Legitimate as a verb (transitive):

    To make legitimate, lawful, or valid; especially, to put in the position or state of a legitimate person before the law, by legal means.

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