# legit

/ˈɫɛdʒɪt/ (US) · /lədʒˈɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/legit
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. legal or valid

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal

legal, official, or following the rules.

For teachers: conforming to laws, rules, or established standards; a shortened form of legitimate.

- I checked their website and it looks legit, so I think it is safe to buy from them.
- The authorities confirmed that the charity was a legit operation, despite the initial concerns raised by the local press.

Usage: Commonly used in spoken English to verify if a business or website is safe.

### 2. genuine or real

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal · Slang

real and honest, not a fake.

For teachers: authentic or genuine in nature; not counterfeit or deceptive.

- That is a legit autograph from the singer, not a copy.
- He managed to find a legit vintage leather jacket at the thrift store for only twenty dollars.

### 3. impressive or high quality

adjective · CEFR C1 · Slang

very good or possessing all the qualities you expect.

For teachers: possessing high quality or excellence; meeting all expectations of a particular standard.

- The food at that new burger place is legit.
- Her skills on the guitar are legit, showing years of dedicated practice and natural talent.

### 4. honestly or truly

adverb · CEFR C1 · Slang

honestly, truly, or seriously.

For teachers: used as an intensifier to mean 'truly' or 'honestly'; often used to emphasize a surprising fact.

- I legit thought the movie was over before the final scene started.
- He was legit worried about the exam results, even though he had studied for weeks.

Usage: Often placed before a verb or adjective for emphasis.

### 5. professional theater

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Informal

serious or professional theater, rather than movies or variety shows.

For teachers: referring to professional stage plays with live actors, as opposed to cinema or vaudeville.

- She spent years working in the legit before moving to Hollywood.
- The actor made his name in the legit, performing Shakespearean leads before transitioning to high-budget television dramas.

## Examples

- That website looks legit so it is safe to use.
- I was worried the tickets were fake, but they turned out to be legit and we got great seats.
- While the startup began as a small side project, it has since become a legit competitor in the global software market, attracting significant venture capital.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.