LEGIT'IMATE, adjective [Latin legitimus, from lex, law.] 1. Lawfully begotten or born; born in wedlock; as legitimate heirs or children. 2. Genuine; real; proceeding from a pure source; not false or spurious; as legitimate arguments or inferences. LEGIT'IMATE, verb transitive 1. To make lawful 2. To render legitimate; to communicate the rights of a legitimate child to one that is illegitimate; to invest with the rights of a lawful heir.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI