Legitimate

le-jit′i-māt, adj. lawful: lawfully begotten, born in wedlock: fairly deduced: following by natural sequence: authorised by usage.— v.t. to make lawful: to give the rights of a legitimate child to an illegitimate one.— n. Legit′imacy , state of being legitimate: lawfulne of birth: regular deduction: directne of descent as affecting the royal succe ion.— adv. Legit′imately .— ns. Legit′imatene , lawfulne ; Legitimā′tion , act of rendering legitimate, esp. of conferring the privileges of lawful birth.— v.t. Legit′imise (same as Legitimate ).— n. Legit′imist , one who supports legitimate authority: in France, a follower of the elder Bourbon line (descendants of Louis XIV.), as opposed to the Orleanists or supporters of the descendants of the Duke of Orleans, Louis XIV.'s brother.— Legitimate drama , a designation frequently applied to the representation of Shakespeare's plays—often employed as vaguely indicating approval of the drama of some former time. [Low L. legitimāre . -ātum —L. legitim us , lawful— lex , law.]