legitimation

From Middle English legittimacion, from Middle French legitimacion and its etymon, Medieval Latin lēgitimātiō, lēgitimātiōnem, from lēgitimāre (“to legitimate”), from Latin lēgitimus.^[1] By surface analysis, legitimate +‎ -ion.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /lɪdʒɪtɪˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

legitimation (usually uncountable, plural legitimations)

1. The process of making or declaring a person legitimate.
   • 2025 June 7, Jason Wilson, “Harvard author Steven Pinker appears on podcast linked to scientific racism”, in The Guardian‎^[1], →ISSN, archived from the original on 25 July 2025:

     The Harvard psychologist and bestselling author Steven Pinker appeared on the podcast of Aporia, an outlet whose owners advocate for a revival of race science and have spoken of seeking “legitimation by association” by platforming more mainstream figures.

2. (obsolete) Legitimacy.
   • c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:

     I am not Sir Roberts sonne, / I haue disclaim'd Sir Robert and my land, / Legitimation, name, and all is gone […] .

3. The act of establishing something as lawful; authorization.
   • 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin, published 2003, page 231:

     Le Paige established a legitimation for the Parlement's authority which was part history, part romantic fiction, and part political wishful thinking.

• legitimization

Suffix of legitim (“legit”) +‎ -a- +‎ -tion (“-tion”). First attested in 1842^[1].

legitimation c

1. an ID (ID card or other means of identification)

   Synonyms: leg, legg

   Har du någon legitimation?

   Do you have any ID?

2. a license (authority to perform a certain job or the like)

   läkarlegitimation

   medical license

• legitimera (“legitimize; identify”, verb)

• “legitimation”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)