noun
- supporters of a legitimate ruler or government, especially those who support the rightful claim to a throne
Usage: historical; political
Examples
- The legitimists refused to recognize the new government after the revolution.
- French legitimists supported the Bourbon dynasty’s claim to the throne.
- Many legitimists went into exile rather than accept the usurper’s rule.
- The legitimist movement gained strength among conservative nobles.
- Legitimists argued that only the rightful heir could restore order to the kingdom.
- The legitimist cause attracted those who valued traditional monarchy.