illegitimacy

/ˌɪlɪˈdʒɪtəməsi/
noun
  1. The state of being born to parents who are not married to each other.
    • Her illegitimacy was never an issue in their loving family.
    • The law was changed to remove any legal disadvantages tied to illegitimacy.
    • In the past, children faced social stigma because of their illegitimacy.
  2. The quality of being not allowed by rules, laws, or accepted standards.
    • The court ruled on the illegitimacy of the contract due to fraud.
    • Many citizens questioned the illegitimacy of the election results.
    • The illegitimacy of the claim was obvious to everyone.
What does "illegitimacy" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean