Illegitimate

/ɪˌlɛdʒɪˈtɪmət/

Meaning & Definition

noun
A person born of parents who are not married to each other.
As an illegitimate, he faced discrimination in his community.
adjective
Not authorized by law; illegal or unlawful.
The illegitimate business practices led to a government investigation.
Born of parents who are not married to each other; often considered socially unacceptable.
He was raised as an illegitimate child, which affected his social standing.
Not in accordance with accepted standards or rules; not valid.
The committee rejected his illegitimate claim to the property.

Etymology

From Latin 'illegitimus', from 'in-' meaning 'not' + 'legitimus' meaning 'lawful'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

illegitimate child:
A child born to parents who are not married to each other.
illegitimate business:
A business operation that is not authorized by law.
illegitimate claim:
A claim that lacks legal validity.

Related Words

Slang Meanings

Not valid or genuine.
Those so-called 'experts' are totally illegitimate.
Unrecognized or unapproved.
Using that vendor is just illegitimate; stick with the trusted ones.