legendary
Americanadjective
-
of, relating to, or of the nature of a legend.
- Synonyms:
- superhuman, strange, supernatural, heroic
-
celebrated or described in legend.
a legendary hero.
noun
adjective
-
of or relating to legend
-
celebrated or described in a legend or legends
-
very famous or notorious
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of legendary
From the Medieval Latin word legendārius, dating back to 1505–15. See legend, -ary
Explanation
It's one thing to be famous. It's another thing altogether to be legendary, or like a legend. The Monkees were a famous band. The Beatles are legendary — for most people, they are almost mythical in their greatness. There are a couple of ways to become legendary, but, however you get there, you have to become a legend. The first way is to be better at something than anyone else ever was. Michael Jordan, for example, is a legendary basketball player. The other way is to be known — and yet remain mysterious — for a very long time. The legendary Loch Ness Monster, for example, is very well known for a creature that (almost?) no one has ever actually seen.
Vocabulary lists containing legendary
The Crossover
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We Were Liars
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"The Hunger Games" Vocabulary from Chapter 10
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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.
The infuriating design of LAX -- the main airport in America's second biggest city -- is almost legendary.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
Sterling was truly detestable in his time, but at least he fielded a highly competitive and exciting Lob City squad led by legendary coach Doc Rivers.
From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026
The connection between Liverpool and Scotland has run deep since the days of legendary former manager Bill Shankly, and there is perhaps no living figure more beloved on the Kop than Dalglish.
From BBC • May 23, 2026
He endorses an aphorism from Arrigo Sacchi, a legendary Italian manager, who described soccer as “the most important of the least important things.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
Aunt Tuti didn’t cook much, but her churros were legendary.
From "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora" by Pablo Cartaya
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
