legitimacy
Translation
legitimacy, lawfulness, validity
Examples
The government's legitimacy was questioned by the people.
The government's legitimacy was questioned by the people.
She challenged the legitimacy of the will in court.
She challenged the legitimacy of the will in court.
Grammar Patterns
the legitimacy of ((sth.)) the state of being reasonable and acceptable The legitimacy of the election was in doubt.
Similar Words
Synonyms: validity, lawfulness, authenticity; Antonyms: illegitimacy
Etymology
From Latin 'legitimus' (lawful), from 'lex' (law). The suffix '-acy' denotes a state or quality.
Memory Tips
Think of the slang word 'legit', which means something is authentic or proper. 'Legitimacy' is the noun form.