What does legitimise mean?
Legitimise means to make something valid, lawful, or acceptable in the eyes of others. It is especially common in political, legal, and institutional contexts, where a person, government, process, or claim may be made to seem properly authorized or justified. The verb can therefore have both a legal sense, relating to the act of making something lawful, and a broader social sense, relating to gaining recognition and acceptance. Its use may suggest that legitimacy is being conferred through formal or practical means. The related forms legitimate, legitimacy, and legitim describe the quality of being valid, proper, or accepted. In American English, legitimize is the usual spelling, although legitimise is also understood.
verbTo make something accepted, valid, or legally recognized. It can also mean to cause someone or something to be regarded as legitimate or worthy of acceptance.
- To make something lawful or officially recognized.
- To cause something to be regarded as reasonable, proper, or worthy of acceptance.
"The new law was intended to legitimize the practice of working from home."
"The agreement helped legitimize the government after the disputed election."
"Her careful research legitimized the argument she made to the committee."
To legitimize something is to give it a legitimate claim to authority; the word has long been associated with making power acceptable, not merely legal.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does legitimise come from?
The word derives from Latin legitimus, meaning lawful or valid, which was based on lex, legis, law. English borrowed legitimate in the late Middle English period and later developed legitimacy and legitimise from the same Latin foundation. The verb became especially prominent in political language during the early modern period, when it referred to establishing the lawful basis of a ruler or government.
Related word forms
How legitimise is actually used
The spelling with -ise is standard in British English, while -ize is common in American English. The word can be used in political and institutional contexts, often with the implication of conferring legitimacy or acceptability.
Easily confused with legitimise
To legitimize something is to make it acceptable or recognized as valid, whereas to legalize something is specifically to make it lawful.