Through one's own skills or qualifications, as in He's a fine violinist in his own right, or She has a fortune in her own right. This term originally alluded to a legal title or claim, as in She was queen in her own right, but has been used more loosely since about 1600.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.