Definition

1. 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

1. unlawfulness by virtue of not being authorized by or in accordance with law
2. the status of being born to parents who were not married