1. the act or process of making something legitimate, lawful, or acceptable
2. the legal process of establishing the legitimacy of a child born outside of marriage
Usage: legal/formal

Examples

• The government's legitimization of the new policy required extensive public consultation.
• The court order resulted in the legitimization of the child, granting full inheritance rights.
• Critics argued that the treaty represented a legitimization of the regime's authority.
• The legitimization of renewable energy sources has accelerated investment in green technology.
• Through education and transparency, the organization sought the legitimization of its practices.
• The legitimization process took several years before the law was finally enacted.