Legist
(Le"gist) n. [F. légiste, LL. legista, fr. L. lex, legis, law. See Legal.] One skilled in the laws; a
writer on law. Milman. J. Morley.
Legitim
(Le*git"im) n. [See Legitimate, a.] (Scots Law) The portion of movable estate to which the
children are entitled upon the death of the father.
Legitimacy
(Le*git"i*ma*cy) n. [See Legitimate, a.] The state, or quality, of being legitimate, or in
conformity with law; hence, the condition of having been lawfully begotten, or born in wedlock.
The doctrine of Divine Right, which has now come back to us, like a thief from transportation, under the
alias of Legitimacy.
Macaulay. Legitimate
(Le*git"i*mate) a. [LL. legitimatus, p. p. of legitimare to legitimate, fr. L. legitimus legitimate.
See Legal.]
1. Accordant with law or with established legal forms and requirements; lawful; as, legitimate government;
legitimate rights; the legitimate succession to the throne; a legitimate proceeding of an officer; a legitimate
heir.
2. Lawfully begotten; born in wedlock.
3. Authorized; real; genuine; not false, counterfeit, or spurious; as, legitimate poems of Chaucer; legitimate
inscriptions.
4. Conforming to known principles, or accepted rules; as, legitimate reasoning; a legitimate standard, or
method; a legitimate combination of colors.
Tillotson still keeps his place as a legitimate English classic.
Macaulay. 5. Following by logical sequence; reasonable; as, a legitimate result; a legitimate inference.
Legitimate
(Le*git"i*mate) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Legitimated (- ma`ted); p. pr. & vb. n. Legitimating ]
To make legitimate, lawful, or valid; esp., to put in the position or state of a legitimate person before the
law, by legal means; as, to legitimate a bastard child.
To enact a statute of that which he dares not seem to approve, even to legitimate vice.
Milton. Legitimately
(Le*git"i*mate*ly) adv. In a legitimate manner; lawfully; genuinely.
Legitimateness
(Le*git"i*mate*ness), n. The state or quality of being legitimate; lawfulness; genuineness.
Legitimation
(Le*git`i*ma"tion) n. [Cf. F. légitimation.]
1. The act of making legitimate.
The coining or legitimation of money.
East. 2. Lawful birth. [R.] Shak.
Legitimatist
(Le*git"i*ma*tist) n. See Legitimist.
Legitimatize
(Le*git"i*ma*tize) v. t. To legitimate.
Legitimism
(Le*git"i*mism) n. The principles or plans of legitimists.
Legitimist
(Le*git"i*mist) n. [Cf. F. légitimiste.]
