Delegitimation

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The process of rendering something invalid or illegitimate through criticism or legal challenges
2. A strategy employed to undermine the credibility or authority of an institution or regime
3. The act of delegating authority while simultaneously calling into question the legitimacy of that authority

Etymology: "Delegitimation" is a plain modern compound, built from the prefix "de-" and "legitimation," and its story is one of straightforward word-building rather than a memorable coinage. The prefix comes from Latin "dē," meaning "down," "away," or "from," which English has long used to signal reversal or removal. Attached to "legitimation," it produces a noun for the act of stripping something of its legitimacy. "Legitimation" itself traces back through Late Latin "legitimare," to make lawful, from "legitimus," lawful, which is ultimately rooted in "lex," law. So the core idea running through the word is law: a thing is legitimate when it conforms to what the law or accepted rules recognise, and delegitimation is the process of withdrawing that recognition. The meaning shift here is minimal, since the word keeps the same sense of undoing the lawful standing of an authority.