Legitimiert

Legitimiert is the past participle and adjective form of the German verb legitimieren. It describes something that has been made legitimate or authorized, or a person who has been granted authority to act.

Etymology and meaning: Legitimieren derives from Latin legitimus meaning 'lawful' and reached German through the French légitimer. In German, legitimieren means to confer legal status, moral acceptance, or formal justification for an action, institution, or person.

Usage in law and public administration: In legal and administrative contexts, legitimacy refers to the authority or basis by which acts are performed. A government or measure is legitimiert when it has a recognized legal basis and public acceptance. Documents may be considered legitimiert if they bear official seals, signatures, or statutory authorization. A person is legitimiert to represent others if empowered by law or contract.

Political and social meaning: Beyond law, legitimacy also denotes perceived rightful authority. In political science, legitimacy explains why people accept rulers or institutions, often categorized as traditional, rational-legal, or charismatic authority. An action or policy is described as legitimiert when it aligns with accepted norms and legal rules; otherwise it may be described as illegitimiert.

See also: Legitimacy, Legitimierung, Befugnis, Autorisierung.