legitim

noun

leg·​i·​tim

ˈlejəˌtim

plural -s

: the portion of an estate usually including both real and personal property reserved to the children and sometimes other heirs upon the death of the father under Roman, civil, and Scots law compare dead's part, reasonable part

Word History

Etymology

French légitime, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin legitima, from Latin, feminine of legitimus legitimate

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