English pronunciation · Words Starting with L

Legitimate Pronunciation

Legitimate is pronounced luh-JI-tuh-muht, IPA /ləˈdʒɪtəmət/.

luh-JI-tuh-muht

US /ləˈdʒɪtəmət/

Syllables: luh · JI · tuh · muht (4 syllables, stress on syllable 2)

adjective: Allowed by law, or fair and reasonable.

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Legitimate in a Sentence

  • That is a legitimate concern and worth raising.
  • The company is a legitimate business with twelve employees.
  • He had no legitimate reason to be in the building.

Common Mispronunciations of Legitimate

Not LE-ji-ti-muht

Anchor everything on the JI. The opening luh is so light that some speakers barely voice it at all.

Not luh-JI-tuh-mayt

As an adjective this word ends on a weak muht. The full mayt ending belongs to the rarer verb, meaning to make something lawful.

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