French Conversation · Level 69
60 words
French word
légitimer
Pronunciation
IPA/leʒitime/
Meaning
- verbjustify
Example
Elle a tenté de légitimer ses actions devant le public.
She tried to justify her actions in front of the public.
More examples
Il essaie de légitimer son choix en donnant des explications simples.
He is trying to justify his choice by giving simple explanations.
Core concept
A contested idea or behavior receives recognized validity when a justification connects it to an accepted standard.
Common phrases
légitimer son choix
justify one's choice
légitimer son point de vue
justify one's point of view
Similar words
justifier: Give reasons or evidence to support an action or decision.
expliquer: Clearly describe why something happened or how an idea works.
autoriser: Formally give someone permission to do something.
valider: Confirm that a procedure or result is correct and accept it as valid.
Definition in French
Rendre acceptable ou conforme à une norme une action, une idée ou un comportement en lui offrant des motifs ou une justification.
Word origin
Légitimer derives from légitime and the verb-forming suffix -er, while légitime comes from Latin legitimus, related to lex, meaning law.
Usage tips
- Légitimer often sounds more formal and institutional than justifier, especially when an action is presented as acceptable to a wider public or authority.
Other meanings
- legitimizeverb
Opposites
- délégitimerdelegitimizeverb
- discréditerdiscreditverb
Related words
- légitimitélegitimacynoun
- légitimelegitimateadjective