illegitimateness
Definition
Illegitimateness (noun): The state or quality of being illegitimate. - Primary meaning: The condition of not being legally recognized, authorized, or sanctioned, especially in terms of birth (being born out of wedlock) or in terms of authority or validity.
Usage Examples
- (The lack of legal validity was clear.)
- (The condition of being born to unmarried parents.)
- (The regulation's lack of lawful authority.)
Advanced Usage
"Illegitimateness of power": Refers to a government or ruler whose authority is not legally or morally justified.
- The revolution was fueled by the perceived illegitimateness of the monarchy. (The monarchy's rule was seen as lacking rightful authority.)
"Illegitimateness in logic": In reasoning, a term used for an argument that is not logically valid or sound.
- The illegitimateness of his conclusion stemmed from faulty premises. (The conclusion lacked logical justification.)
Variants and Related Words
- Illegitimate (adj): Not authorized by law; not valid; born of parents not married to each other.
- The contract was declared illegitimate by the judge. (The contract was legally invalid.)
- Illegitimacy (noun): A synonym for illegitimateness, more commonly used.
- The illegitimacy of the regime was widely debated. (The lack of rightful authority.)
Synonyms
- Illegitimacy: The state of being illegitimate.
- Invalidity: The state of being not legally or factually valid.
- Unlawfulness: The quality of being contrary to or forbidden by law.
Related Idioms
- Born on the wrong side of the blanket: An old-fashioned idiom meaning born out of wedlock, highlighting illegitimateness of birth.
- In the novel, the hero was born on the wrong side of the blanket. (He was illegitimate.)
Phrasal Verbs (Not applicable)
- No phrasal verbs directly derive from "illegitimateness."