English Meaning & Definitions
To cause something or someone to appear invalid, unlawful, or lacking in authority.
- “The opposition party sought to delegitimize the election results by highlighting procedural irregularities.”
- “Constant criticism of the media's integrity is a common tactic used to delegitimize investigative journalism.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “delegitimize”.
Derived from the prefix 'de-' (indicating removal or reversal) + 'legitimate' (from Latin 'legitimatus', past participle of 'legitimare', meaning 'to make lawful'), which itself stems from 'lex' (law). The term emerged in the 20th century to describe the process of stripping an institution, authority, or belief of its perceived validity or legal standing.
De- (remove) + Legitimate (law/validity): Think of 'de-legalizing' someone's power to make them seem like a fraud.
Frequently Asked Questions About “delegitimize”
1. What is the meaning of “delegitimize” in English?
In English, delegitimize (verb) is defined as: “To cause something or someone to appear invalid, unlawful, or lacking in authority.”.
2. How do you use “delegitimize” in a sentence?
“The opposition party sought to delegitimize the election results by highlighting procedural irregularities.”
3. What are English synonyms of “delegitimize”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “delegitimize”?
Derived from the prefix 'de-' (indicating removal or reversal) + 'legitimate' (from Latin 'legitimatus', past participle of 'legitimare', meaning 'to make lawful'), which itself stems from 'lex' (law). The term emerged in the 20th century to describe the process of stripping an institution, authority, or belief of its perceived validity or legal standing.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.