Legitimacy, popular acceptance of a government, political regime, or system of governance. The word legitimacy can be interpreted in either a normative way or a “positive” (see positivism) way. The first … Apr 29, 2010 · Political legitimacy is a virtue of political institutions and of the decisions—about laws, policies, and candidates for political office—made within them. This entry will survey the main … LEGITIMACY definition: 1. the quality of being legal : 2. the quality of being reasonable and acceptable: 3. Legitimacy is commonly defined in political science and sociology as the belief that a rule, institution, or leader has the right to govern. It is a judgment by an individual about the rightfulness of a hierarchy … 6 days ago · Political legitimacy is what makes government rule acceptable — built through elections, tradition, or performance, and fragile when trust erodes. Definition of legitimacy noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. 1 day ago · The meaning of LEGITIMACY is the quality or state of being legitimate. Political legitimacy refers to the perception and acceptance of authority by the governed population, affecting how people view their government and its right to rule. When a government enjoys high ….