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View synonyms for legend

legend

[lej-uhnd]

noun

  1. a nonhistorical or unverifiable story handed down by tradition from earlier times and popularly accepted as historical.

    Antonyms: fact
  2. the body of stories of this kind, especially as they relate to a particular people, group, or clan.

    the winning of the West in American legend.

  3. an inscription, especially on a coat of arms, on a monument, under a picture, or the like.

  4. a table on a map, chart, or the like, listing and explaining the symbols used.

  5. Numismatics.,  inscription.

  6. a collection of stories about an admirable person.

  7. a person who is the center of such stories.

    She became a legend in her own lifetime.

  8. Archaic.,  a story of the life of a saint, especially one stressing the miraculous or unrecorded deeds of the saint.

  9. Obsolete.,  a collection of such stories or stories like them.



legend

/ ˈlɛdʒənd /

noun

  1. a popular story handed down from earlier times whose truth has not been ascertained

  2. a group of such stories

    the Arthurian legend

  3. a modern story that has taken on the characteristics of a traditional legendary tale

  4. a person whose fame or notoriety makes him a source of exaggerated or romanticized tales or exploits

  5. an inscription or title, as on a coin or beneath a coat of arms

  6. explanatory matter accompanying a table, map, chart, etc

    1. a story of the life of a saint

    2. a collection of such stories

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • legendry noun
  • prelegend noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of legend1

First recorded in 1300–50; 1900–05 legend for def. 4; Middle English legende “written account of a saint's life,” from Medieval Latin legenda literally, “(lesson) to be read,” noun use of feminine of Latin legendus, gerund of legere “to read”; so called because appointed to be read on respective saints' days
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Word History and Origins

Origin of legend1

C14 (in the sense: a saint's life or a collection of saints' lives): from Medieval Latin legenda passages to be read, from Latin legere to read
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Synonym Study

Legend, fable, myth refer to fictitious stories, usually handed down by tradition (although some fables are modern). Legend, originally denoting a story concerning the life of a saint, is applied to any fictitious story, sometimes involving the supernatural, and usually concerned with a real person, place, or other subject: the legend of the Holy Grail. A fable is specifically a fictitious story (often with animals or inanimate things as speakers or actors) designed to teach a moral: a fable about industrious bees. A myth is one of a class of stories, usually concerning gods, semidivine heroes, etc., current since primitive times, the purpose of which is to attempt to explain some belief or natural phenomenon: the Greek myth about Demeter.
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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He is throwing the ball as well as he ever has, on the biggest stage, where Dodgers legends are made.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"There was this one nine-year-old girl in the car who rolled down the window after the show and screamed 'Ben you legend'," he added.

Read more on BBC

England manager Wiegman said: "Millie will forever be an England legend for what she has given to her country, and I could never have enough words to praise her impact during my time."

Read more on BBC

At Indiana, it’s only added to the legend, as Indiana has sprinted off to a 17-2 start through the first 19 games Cignetti has coached.

He called her "a legend, and icon, and a truly kind human being.... She will be deeply missed."

Read more on Barron's

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