illegitimate
pronunciation
How to pronounce illegitimate in British English:
UK [ˌɪləˈdʒɪtəmət]
How to pronounce illegitimate in American English:
US [ˌɪləˈdʒɪtəmət]
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- Noun:
- the illegitimate offspring of unmarried parents
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- Adjective:
- contrary to or forbidden by law
- of marriages and offspring; not recognized as lawful
Word Origin
- illegitimate (adj.)
- 1530s, "born out of wedlock," formed in English (and replacing earlier illegitime, c. 1500), modeled on Latin illegitimus "not legitimate" (see il- + legitimate). Sense of "unauthorized, unwarranted" is from 1640s. Phrase illegitimi non carborundum, usually "translated" as "don't let the bastards grind you down," is fake Latin (by 1965, said to date from c. 1939) (Carborundum was a brand of abrasives).
Example
- 1. And corruption can secure illegitimate services as easily as legitimate ones .
- 2. Any election held under mr micheletti will be seen by many as illegitimate .
- 3. North korea resents showcase events in what it sees as its illegitimate southern neighbour and could rattle sabres .
- 4. In december and march it defaulted on bonds totalling $ 3.2 billion , which it argued were " illegitimate and illegal " .
- 5. Representation of utility in the manner of the calculus is therefore illegitimate .