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Origin and history of illegitimate

illegitimate(adj.)

1530s, "born out of wedlock," formed in English (and replacing earlier illegitime, c. 1500), modeled on Late Latin illegitimus "not legitimate" (see il- + legitimate). Sense of "unauthorized, unwarranted" is from 1640s. Phrase illegitimi non carborundum, usually "translated" as "don't let the bastards grind you down," is fake Latin (by 1965, said to date from c. 1939). Carborundum was a brand of abrasives. Related: Illegitimately.

also from 1530s

Entries linking to illegitimate

Carborundum(n.)

silicon carbide used as an abrasive, (reg. trademark U.S. June 21, 1892, by Carborundum Co. of Monongahela City, Pa.), from carbon + corundum.

legitimate(adj.)

mid-15c., "lawfully begotten, born of parents legally married," from past participle of Old French legitimer and directly from Medieval Latin legitimatus, past participle of legitimare "make lawful, declare to be lawful," from Latin legitimus "lawful," originally "fixed by law, in line with the law," from lex (genitive legis) "law" (see legal). Transferred sense of "genuine, real" is attested from 1550s. Related: Legitimately; legitimateness. The older adjective in English was legitime "lawful, of legitimate birth" (late 14c.), from Old French legitime, from Latin legitimus.

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outlaw
Old English utlaga "one put outside the law" (and thereby deprived of its benefits and protections), from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse utlagi (n.) "outlaw," from utlagr (adj.) "outlawed, banished," from ut "out" (see out (adv.)) + *lagu, plural of lag "law" (see law).
spurious
1590s, of persons, "born out of wedlock, bastard," from Latin spurius "illegitimate, false" (source also of Italian spurio..."illegitimate child," probably from Etruscan spural "public."...
sagebrush
Nothing can abide the taste of it but the jackass and his illegitimate child, the mule. ["Mark Twain," "Roughing It"]...
crib
Crib (n.) in the sense of "literal translation of a classical author for illegitimate use by students" (often a Greek work...
misfortune
In 19c., it was a euphemism for "illegitimate child." Related: Misfortunate....
nephew
Used in English in all the classical senses until the meaning narrowed in 17c., and also as a euphemism for "the illegitimate...
by
Elliptical use for "secondary course" was in Old English (opposed to main, as in byway, also compare by-blow "illegitimate...
offspring
Old English ofspring "children or young collectively, descendants," literally "those who spring off (someone)," from of "away, away from" (see off (prep.)) + springan "to spring" (see spring (v.)). Similar formation in Old Norse afspringr. The figurative sense "that which is prod
progeny
early 14c., progenie, "children, offspring" (of humans or animals); late 14c., "descent, lineage, family, ancestry," from Old French progenie (13c.) and directly from Latin progenies "descendants, offspring, lineage, race, family," from stem of progignere "beget," from pro "forth
issue
c. 1300, "an exit," from Old French issue "a way out, a going out, exit; final event," from fem. past participle of issir "to go out," from Latin exire "go out, go forth; become public; flow, gush, pour forth" (source also of Italian uscire, Catalan exir), from ex- "out" (see ex-

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