legitimate

adj. legal, lawful; acceptable; justified; reasonable, logical; born of parents who are legally married; correct, sound; authorized

v. make valid; make lawful; make legitimate; justify, make permissible

The word legitimacy is often interpreted in a normative or a positive way. In a normative sense, legitimacy gets greater attention as a part of moral philosophy. Legitimacy is the foundation of such governmental power as is exercised both with a consciousness on the government's part that it has a right to govern and with some recognition by the governed of that right.
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Verb
1. make legal; "Marijuana should be legalized"
(synonym) legalize, legalise, decriminalize, decriminalise, legitimize, legitimise, legitimatize, legitimatise
(hypernym) permit, allow, let, countenance
(hyponym) monetize, monetise
(derivation) legalization, legalisation, legitimation
2. show or affirm to be just and legitimate
(hypernym) justify, vindicate
(derivation) legalization, legalisation, legitimation
3. make (an illegitimate child) legitimate; declare the legitimacy of (someone); "They legitimized their natural child"
(hypernym) change, alter, modify
(derivation) legitimation
Adjective
1. of marriages and offspring; recognized as lawful
(antonym) illegitimate
(similar) lawfully-begotten
(see-also) authorized, authorised
2. in accordance with reason or logic; "a logical conclusion"
(synonym) logical
(similar) valid
3. in accordance with recognized or accepted standards or principles; "legitimate advertising practices"
(similar) established, constituted
4. authorized, sanctioned by, or in accordance with law; "a legitimate government"
(synonym) lawful, licit
(similar) legal

v. legitimize; affiliate

(v. t.)
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.
  

(a.)
Lawfully begotten; born in wedlock.
  

(a.)
Following by logical sequence; reasonable; as, a legitimate result; a legitimate inference.
  

(a.)
Conforming to known principles, or accepted rules; as, legitimate reasoning; a legitimate standard, or method; a legitimate combination of colors.
  

(a.)
Authorized; real; genuine; not false, counterfeit, or spurious; as, legitimate poems of Chaucer; legitimate inscriptions.
  

(a.)
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.