illegitimacy
/,ili'dʤitiməsi/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The state or quality of being unlawful or not authorized by law: "Illegitimacy" refers to the condition of not being in accordance with or sanctioned by law.
- The status of being born to parents who are not legally married to each other: "Illegitimacy" denotes the condition of being born out of wedlock.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The court questioned the illegitimacy of the contract, as it violated several statutes.
- In the past, social stigma was often attached to illegitimacy.
Advanced Usage
"The illegitimacy of a claim": The lack of legal or moral justification for a demand or assertion.
- The lawyer argued for the dismissal of the case based on the complete illegitimacy of the plaintiff's claim.
"To challenge the illegitimacy of a government": To question the lawful authority or right to rule of a governing body.
- The rebels sought to expose the regime's illegitimacy to the international community.
Variants and Related Words
Illegitimate (adj): Not authorized by law; born to parents not married to each other.
- An illegitimate seizure of power.
- He was the illegitimate son of the king.
Legitimacy (n): The quality of being lawful, genuine, or valid. (Antonym)
- The legitimacy of the election results was confirmed.
Synonyms
- Unlawfulness: The state of being contrary to or forbidden by law.
- Illicitness: The quality of being illegal or not permitted.
- Bastardy (archaic): The condition of being born to unmarried parents.
Antonyms
- Legitimacy: Conformity to the law or to rules; the state of being genuine or valid.
- Lawfulness: The quality of being allowed or recognized by law.
Noun
- unlawfulness by virtue of not being authorized by or in accordance with law
- the status of being born to parents who were not married