legitimacy/legitimate

legitimacy /liˈdʒitiməsi/ n. [u]合法性，正统性：The newspaper was directly challenging the government’s legitimacy.报纸直接质疑政府的合法性。

 legitimate /liˈdʒitimit/ I. adj. 1.合情合理的：a legitimate conclusion(reason) 合理的结论（理由）；a legitimate excuse 合情理的借口2.合法的，法律认可的：the legitimate owner of the land 土地的合法主人；the legitimate king of England 英国的合法国王 ‖II. /liˌdʒitiˈmeit/ vt. 使合法： The judge legitimated the use of the gun as evidence. 作为证据法官把用枪合法化了。