Skip to main content
legitimist

legitimist

9.0
Supporting the idea that a rightful king or queen should be the ruler
  • adjective
  • /lɪˈdʒɪtɪmɪst/
  • Archaic
translation icon : legitimista
  • The legitimist faction believes strongly in the importance of legitimate succession in monarchy.

Examples

  • In January 1830, a poem Delphine Gay published in the fashionable and legitimist Mode suggests the direction her work had begun to take.

    Academic text (2000)
  • If the South rises again, it will be along conservative, legitimist lines.

    Blog text (29)
  • Many people admire the legitimist ideals of restoring rightful monarchs to their thrones.

  • The debate centered on whether the new king's ascension was legitimist or a result of political maneuvering.

Surface Forms

legitimist positive

Morphology

legitimist = legitimate (semi-transparent) = legitimate + ist

Formed from 'legitimate' + the productive suffix '-ist', but the adjective sense often specifically refers to a historical/political movement which is more specialized than the base meaning.

Etymology

Legitimist comes from the Latin root legitimus meaning 'lawful' or 'according to law', the same root as legitimate. So as an adjective legitimist means supporting rule by the lawful or true heir.