Legitimate vs Competent - What's the difference?
legitimate | competent |
In accordance with the law or established legal forms and requirements; lawful.
*
Conforming to known principles, or established or accepted rules or standards; valid.
* (rfdate) Macaulay
Authentic, real, genuine.
(senseid)Lawfully begotten, i.e., born to a legally married couple.
Relating to hereditary rights.
To make legitimate, lawful, or valid; especially, to put in the position or state of a legitimate person before the law, by legal means.
Having sufficient skill, knowledge, ability, or qualifications.
(legal) Having jurisdiction or authority over a particular issue or question.
Adequate for the purpose
* 1662 , , Book II, A Collection of Several Philosophical Writings of Dr. Henry More, p. 67:
As adjectives the difference between legitimate and competent
is that legitimate is in accordance with the law or established legal forms and requirements; lawful while competent is competent (able).As a verb legitimate
is to make legitimate, lawful, or valid; especially, to put in the position or state of a legitimate person before the law, by legal means.legitimate
English
Etymology 1
From . Originally "lawfully begotten," from (etyl) legitimer and directly fromAdjective
(en adjective)- legitimate''' reasoning; a '''legitimate standard or method
- Tillotson still keeps his place as a legitimate English classic.
- legitimate''' poems of Chaucer; '''legitimate inscriptions
Synonyms
(checksyns) * lawful, legal, rightfulAntonyms
* illegitimate, falseEtymology 2
Legal Latin, from legitimatus, past participle of (legitimo). See above for antecedentsVerb
(legitimat)Usage notes
* Forms of (legitimize) are about twice as common as forms of the verb legitimate in the US. * Forms of legitimate are somewhat more common than the forms of the verbs (legitimize) and (legitimise) in the UK combined.Synonyms
* legitimizeDerived terms
* delegitimateExternal links
* ----competent
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- He is a competent skier and an expert snowboarder.
- For any disagreements arising from this contract, the competent court shall be the Springfield Circuit Court.
- judicial authority having competent jurisdiction
- "For if [birds] had been Viviparous , the burthen of their womb, if they had brought forth any competent number at a time, had been so big and heavy, that their wings would have failed them "