illegitimate Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the illegitimate offspring of unmarried parents
    bastard; whoreson; by-blow; illegitimate child; love child.
  2. adjective satellite contrary to or forbidden by law
    illicit; outlaw; unlawful; outlawed.
    • an illegitimate seizure of power
    • illicit trade
    • an outlaw strike
    • unlawful measures
  3. adjective of marriages and offspring; not recognized as lawful

WordNet

Il`le*git"i*mate adjective
Definitions
  1. Not according to law; not regular or authorized; unlawful; improper.
  2. Unlawfully begotten; born out of wedlock; bastard; as, an illegitimate child.
  3. Not legitimately deduced or inferred; illogical; as, an illegitimate inference.
  4. Not authorized by good usage; not genuine; spurious; as, an illegitimate word. Darwin.
Il`le*git"i*mate transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Illegitimated ; present participle & verbal noun Illegitimating
Definitions
  1. To render illegitimate; to declare or prove to be born out of wedlock; to bastardize; to illegitimatize.
    The marriage should only be dissolved for the future, without illegitimating the issue. Bp. Burnet.

Webster 1913