Illegitimt

Illegitimt is a Scandinavian adjective used in Norwegian and Danish to describe something that is not legitimate or not sanctioned. In practice, illegitimt can refer to acts, claims, or statuses that lack rightful authority, legality, or propriety. The term can modify nouns in the neuter form, for example et illegitimt barn (an illegitimate, or non-marital, child) or et illegitimt krav (an illegitimate or unsanctioned claim). While illegitimt is often linked to the sense of illegality, many contexts distinguish between illegal (ulovlig) and illegitimate (not officially authorized or not rightful). In everyday language, the nuance depends on the specific juridical or social context.

Etymology and usage: The word derives from Latin illegitimus, via medieval Latin and Old French illegitime, and entered Scandinavian languages in the early modern period. The root illegit- carries the core meaning of “not legitimate.”

Historical context: Historically, illegitimacy referred to a child born outside marriage and carried social stigma and potential legal disadvantages. In many European countries, reforms during the 19th to 20th centuries reduced or removed legal distinctions between legitimate and illegitimate children, and social stigma has diminished in everyday life. Today, illegitimt tends to appear in discussions of historical norms, genealogical research, or in contexts addressing the concept of legitimacy, including non-parental institutions or claims.

See also: illegitimacy, legitimacy, illegitimate child, non-marital child.