le·git·i·me /lə-'ji-tə-mē/ n [French, from Latin legitima ( pars ) the lawful (share)] in the civil law of Louisiana: the portion (as one-fourth) of a testate succession that is reserved for a forced heir – called also forced portion; compare disposable portion, falcidian portion, marital portion
◇ The fraction used to calculate the legitime will vary depending on the number of forced heirs.
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.