illegitimate
Born outside marriage
Illegitimate means not authorized by law, rules, or standards.
An illegitimate claim lacks proper basis; an illegitimate government came to power unlawfully.
The older sense refers to children born to unmarried parents: He was the king's illegitimate son.
This usage, once common and stigmatizing, has faded as social attitudes toward marriage and parenthood have shifted.
Offspring of unmarried parents
- bastardChild of unmarried parents
- naturalNot artificially produced
- extramaritalOutside the marriage bond
- nonmaritalOutside wedlock
misbegotten · fatherless · unacknowledged · unclaimed · disowned · unrecognized · disinherited · paternity
Without official permit
- unsanctionedNot officially permitted
- unofficialNot formally recognized
- forbiddenNot allowed
- prohibitedOfficially not permitted
illicit · unlawful · illegal · contraband · bootleg · pirated · black-market · clandestine
Fraudulent imitation
- bogusCounterfeit or fraudulent
- phonyFraudulent person or thing
- forgedMade by smithing, or faked
- fakeNot the real thing
sham · deceitful · impostor · charlatan · hoax · fraudulent · scam · swindle
Without legal effect
- nullAbsence indicator in code
- unenforceableLacking legal force
- annulledDeclared legally void
- invalidatedMade no longer binding
nullified · baseless · unfounded · unsound · flawed · defective · improper · irregular
Painful awareness of failure
- scandalDisgraceful public affair
- disgraceLoss of honor
- tabooCultural or social prohibition
- ostracizeExclude from a group
stigmatize · dishonor · humiliation · rejection · exclusion · marginalize · outcast · disrepute
lovechild
Offspring of unmarried parents
- bastardChild of unmarried parents
- naturalNot artificially produced
- extramaritalOutside the marriage bond
nonmarital · misbegotten · fatherless · unacknowledged · unclaimed · disowned · unrecognized · disinherited · paternity · bloodline
unlicensed
Without official permit
- unsanctionedNot officially permitted
- unofficialNot formally recognized
- forbiddenNot allowed
prohibited · illicit · unlawful · illegal · contraband · bootleg · pirated · black-market · clandestine · unrecognized
counterfeit
Fraudulent imitation
fake · sham · deceitful · impostor · charlatan · hoax · fraudulent · scam · swindle · quack
void
Without legal effect
- nullAbsence indicator in code
- unenforceableLacking legal force
- annulledDeclared legally void
invalidated · nullified · baseless · unfounded · unsound · flawed · defective · improper · irregular · erroneous
shame
Painful awareness of failure
ostracize · stigmatize · dishonor · humiliation · rejection · exclusion · marginalize · outcast · disrepute · ignominy
- illegitimacybastard, love child, bastardy, born out of wedlock
- statusespending, active, approved, inactive, completed
- birth orderfirstborn, lastborn, middle child, only child, eldest
- birthlive birth, stillbirth, premature birth, breech birth, multiple birth
- inheritanceinheritance, inheritances, heir, heirs, heiress
- legitimacylegal, validity, lawfulness, lawful, legality
illegitimatelegitimate
Conforming to accepted standards
legal · lawful · authorized · sanctioned · trueborn
illegitimatelegitimate
Conforming to accepted standards
justified · warranted · justifiable · rightful · proper
- illegitimate childChild of unmarried parents
- illegitimate childrenOffspring of unmarried parents
- illegitimate heirOffspring lacking lawful inheritance rights
- illegitimate rulerLeader lacking valid authority