legitimately acquired

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "legitimately acquired" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that has been obtained in a lawful or rightful manner. Example: "The artwork in the gallery is all legitimately acquired, ensuring that each piece has a verified provenance."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

The better malls sell legitimately acquired products at discounted prices, and the rougher ones specialize in stolen and pirated goods.

The New Yorker

GROWING wealth, not all of it legitimately acquired, is rapidly increasing the demand in China for expensive education abroad.

The Economist

Christie's sells only objects that it can confirm as legitimately acquired, said Max Bernheimer, international head of antiquities for the auction house.

The Washington Post

The so-called Lydian Hoard showed up on the international market and much of it was legitimately acquired through gifts by the Metropolitan Museum in Manhattan.

The New York Times - Science

How could investors be assured that the policies were legitimately acquired, so that the payouts would not be disputed when the original policyholder died?

The New York Times

To maintain a pattern, one must either interfere with the process of transferring resources, or interfere in such a way that one takes away from somebody who has legitimately acquired their pile of quarters and redistribute that.

Yale University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

"There's absolutely nothing in four years that they have done to find out how they could legitimately acquire H.I.V. medication," said Mirryena Deeb, director of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of South Africa.

The New York Times

Someone who legitimately acquires content (buys a CD or DVD) should have the right to use that content so long as it is not for a commercial purpose.

Huffington Post

You could be forgiven for assuming that the first column was a thinly-veiled ploy to legitimately acquire a self-pleasing sex toy, but I can assure you that's not so – there will be many more of these experiments to come, some of which I'm rather looking forward to.

Vice

Kirtsaeng replied that because his books were "lawfully made" and acquired legitimately, §109(a)'s "first sale" doctrine permitted importation and resale without Wiley's further permission.

Harvard University

"As far as I am concerned the marbles were acquired legitimately and the committee has far more important issues to discuss.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "legitimately acquired", ensure the context clearly indicates the standard or law that makes the acquisition legitimate. For example, "The artwork was legitimately acquired through a documented sale."

Common error

Do not assume that because something was "legitimately acquired" it was also ethically sourced. Legality does not always equate to ethical practices. Always verify the full context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "legitimately acquired" functions as an adverb-verb construction, modifying a noun. According to Ludwig, this construction indicates that an object, asset, or piece of information was obtained by legal and/or ethical means. It describes the manner in which something was acquired.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "legitimately acquired" is a grammatically correct and usable construction that conveys the idea of something being obtained in a lawful and ethical manner. According to Ludwig, this adverb-verb construction is most frequently found in News & Media and Academic contexts. While similar phrases such as "lawfully obtained" or "rightfully gained" exist, "legitimately acquired" carries a nuanced emphasis on both legality and ethical propriety. It is important to consider the complete context when using this phrase to avoid any assumptions about purely ethical behavior based solely on the legal aspect of the acquisition.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lawfully obtained

Uses a different adverb and verb, focusing on legality.

rightfully gained

Emphasizes the just or moral aspect of the acquisition.

legally procured

Highlights the legal aspect of obtaining something.

validly acquired

Stresses the validity of the acquisition.

duly obtained

Implies that the acquisition followed the correct procedure.

properly secured

Focuses on the correctness of securing something.

honestly earned

Emphasizes the honesty involved in acquiring something, typically through work.

fairly acquired

Highlights the fairness of the acquisition process.

justly gained

Similar to 'rightfully gained', emphasizing justice.

licitly obtained

A more formal synonym for 'lawfully obtained'.

FAQs

How can I use "legitimately acquired" in a sentence?

You can use "legitimately acquired" to describe assets, property, or information that has been obtained legally and ethically. For example, "The company only uses data that has been "legitimately acquired"".

What are some alternatives to "legitimately acquired"?

Some alternatives include "lawfully obtained", "rightfully gained", or "legally procured", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it redundant to say "legally and legitimately acquired"?

While "legitimately" often implies legality, including both "legally and legitimately" can emphasize both the legal and ethical aspects of the acquisition, adding clarity in contexts where ethical considerations are important.

Can "legitimately acquired" apply to intangible things like skills or knowledge?

Yes, it can. For example, you might say someone has ""legitimately acquired" expertise" through proper training and certification, meaning they didn't falsely claim credentials.