legitimacy

noun
UK: /lɪˈdʒɪtɪməsi/
US: /ləˈdʒɪtɪməsi/

  1. The quality of being accepted as morally good and right; conforming to the law or to rules.

    1. The election's legitimacy is now being questioned after several recounts.
    2. Questions arose regarding the legitimacy of the ruler's claim to the throne following the coup.

  2. The state or quality of being legitimate according to law; the fact that something is allowed by law or tradition.

    1. The government needs to ensure the legitimacy of its actions to maintain public trust.
    2. The organization worked to establish the legitimacy of its charitable activities through proper registration.

Synonyms

validity

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "legitimacy" in English means: The quality of being accepted as morally good and right; conforming to the law or to rules., The state or quality of being legitimate according to law; the fact that something is allowed by law or tradition..

The phonetic transcription of "legitimacy" is /lɪˈdʒɪtɪməsi/ in British English and /ləˈdʒɪtɪməsi/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "legitimacy": validity.

Example usage of "legitimacy": "The election's legitimacy is now being questioned after several recounts.". More examples on the page.