Meaning & use
illegitimate
Last updated
Not authorized by law or accepted rules; also, historically used to describe a child born to parents who are not married to each other.
See it in a sentence
The court ruled that the government's actions were illegitimate and unconstitutional.
The novel follows an illegitimate son fighting to claim his inheritance.
A note on using this word
The 'child born outside marriage' sense is now considered outdated and is avoided in modern usage in favor of neutral phrasing.
Words with a similar meaning
unlawfulillegal
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
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