Definition: Legitimately and literally (Merriam-Webster Online).
Sample usage: "Right now I honestly, actually, legiterately can't even. Seriously."
Popularity: No one says "legitimately" outside of a courtroom, but it's nice to have a word that nudges "literally" back toward its actual meaning. People today say "I literally died," which is accurate only if they just restarted your heart.
JAMES LILEKS
Interested in other words or phrases we've dissected? See more at startribune.com/word.
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