Legitimacy

The quality of having a valid, rightful, or broadly accepted basis.

Reach for it when discussing whether authority, a claim, or a process deserves recognition

Transparent counting strengthened the legitimacy of the council election.

• everyday

  acceptance

  social recognition matters more than formal status

  not when Acceptance can come from habit or pressure rather than a valid basis.

• professional

  credibility

  people need reason to believe a claim or institution

  not when Credibility concerns trust, not the right to exercise power.

• professional

  standing

  a party's recognized right to participate or claim is specific

  not when Standing is narrower than the legitimacy of an entire institution.

• professional

  validity

  logical or procedural soundness is being assessed

  not when Validity need not include public acceptance or rightful authority.

• formal

  authority

  recognized power to decide or direct is central

  not when Authority may exist in practice while its legitimacy is challenged.

• formal

  lawfulness

  compliance with law is the sole question

  not when Lawfulness does not guarantee moral or democratic legitimacy.

• literary

  rightfulness

  the moral claim to a position is emphasized

  not when Rightfulness is awkward when technical procedural validity is meant.

• illegitimacy
• invalidity
• usurpation

• democratic legitimacy

  Open participation gave the charter democratic legitimacy.

• question the legitimacy

  Missing records caused residents to question the legitimacy of the appointment.

• gain legitimacy

  The new forum began to gain legitimacy after independent oversight arrived.