legitimacy

People's acceptance of an organization or system as having the right to make decisions.

• The government lost legitimacy after the scandal.
• Fair elections can give leaders democratic legitimacy.
• Public trust is essential to the institution's legitimacy.

Similar words: acceptance

Common phrases: political legitimacy, democratic legitimacy, gain legitimacy, lose legitimacy

The fact that something is allowed by law or has good reasons supporting it.

• She questioned the legitimacy of the agreement.
• The documents established the legitimacy of his claim.
• Does this decision have any legal legitimacy?

How to use it: legitimacy of something (They questioned the legitimacy of his claim.)

Similar words: validity, lawfulness

Opposites: illegitimacy

Common phrases: question legitimacy, legal legitimacy, legitimacy of something

The status of being born to married parents, sometimes affecting a person's right to inherit a throne.

• The prince's legitimacy was disputed.
• Their marriage established the child's legitimacy under the old law.
• Questions about her legitimacy threatened her claim to the throne.

Opposites: illegitimacy

Common phrases: legitimacy of birth, establish legitimacy, dispute legitimacy