Definition of illegitimate

The word "illegitimate" has its origins in medieval English in the 15th century. The term "illegitimate" back then referred to any child born outside the boundaries of holy matrimony, regardless of whether the child's parents were married afterward. This meaning was grounded in religious principles that viewed any child conceived outside of marriage as a result of sin. In the medieval context, an illegitimate child was seen as being somehow cursed or demonic in nature. They were considered to bear some sort of social and spiritual stigma, and their parents were often subjected to social ostracization, fines, or other legal penalties. The term "illegitimate" as we know it today has evolved over the centuries, and the connotation it carries has also changed. While the definition of illegitimate still refers to a child born out of wedlock, society has become generally less judgmental of such situations, and the term's use is less common than it once was. Many people now view illegitimacy as a matter of family structure or circumstance rather than one directly related to morality or spiritual condemnation.