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ilegítimo

illegitimate

adjective ee-leh-HEE-tee-moh Rare

Origin: From Latin 'illegitimus', not lawful.

Also means

unlawful

Usage Note

Ilegítimo can describe a child born outside marriage (now mostly a legal/historical term), a government that lacks legal authority, or any claim that is not rightfully grounded. Its antonym is legítimo. The feminine form is ilegítima. In formal legal texts it remains common; in everyday speech ilegal is often preferred for the 'unlawful' sense.

Examples

"El gobierno fue declarado ilegítimo."

Natural Translation

The government was declared illegitimate.

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