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legitimacy

 - 4 dictionary results

le⋅git⋅i⋅ma⋅cy

  [li-jit-uh-muh-see]
Use legitimacy in a Sentence
–noun
the state or quality of being legitimate.
Origin:
1685–95; legitim(ate) + -acy

Synonyms:
lawfulness, legality, rightfulness.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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le·git·i·ma·cy   (lə-jĭt'ə-mə-sē)   
n.  The quality or fact of being legitimate.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: le·git·i·ma·cy
Pronunciation: li-'ji-t&-m&-sE
Function: noun
: the quality or state of being legitimate
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Encyclopedia

legitimacy

status of children begotten and born outside of wedlock. Many statutes either state, or are interpreted to mean, that usually a child born under a void marriage is not illegitimate if his parents clearly believed that they were legally married. Similarly, annulment of a marriage usually does not illegitimize the children.

Learn more about legitimacy with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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