league

¹ American  

[leeg] / lig /

noun

1. a covenant or compact made between persons, parties, states, etc., for the promotion or maintenance of common interests or for mutual assistance or service.

2. the aggregation of persons, parties, states, etc., associated in such a covenant or compact; confederacy.

   Synonyms:

   coalition, combination

3. an association of individuals having a common goal.

4. Sports. a group of athletic teams organized to promote mutual interests and to compete chiefly among themselves: a tri-county community softball league.

   a bowling league for ages 12–18;

   a tri-county community softball league.

5. Sports.

   1. a major league.

      He played in both leagues, with four different teams, but he’ll always be remembered most as a Cincinnati Red.

   2. a minor league.

      During her tenure as general manager of the league in Florida, eight of her players were promoted to the majors.

6. group; class; category.

   As a pianist he just simply isn't in your league.

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verb (used with or without object)

leagued, leaguing

1. to unite in a league; combine. People are judged, fairly or not, by the company that they keep, and the people they league themselves with.

   Some unlikely political bedfellows leagued together to get the bill passed.

   People are judged, fairly or not, by the company that they keep, and the people they league themselves with.

idioms

1. in league, working together, often secretly or for a harmful purpose; united.

   By putting yourself in league with corrupt and ruthless leaders, you will end up paying in the long run.

league ² American  

[leeg] / lig /

noun

1. a unit of distance, varying at different periods and in different countries: in English-speaking countries usually estimated roughly at 3 miles (4.8 kilometers).

2. a square league, as a unit of land measure, estimated roughly at 4,428 acres (1,791.9 hectares).

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league ¹ British  

/ liːɡ /

noun

1. an association or union of persons, nations, etc, formed to promote the interests of its members

2. an association of sporting clubs that organizes matches between member teams of a similar standard

3. a class, category, or level

   he is not in the same league

4. working or planning together (with)

5. (modifier) of, involving, or belonging to a league

   a league game

   a league table

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verb

1. to form or be formed into a league

league ² British  

/ liːɡ /

noun

1. an obsolete unit of distance of varying length. It is commonly equal to 3 miles

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league More Idioms  

1. see big league; in league with; in the same league.

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Synonym Usage

See alliance.

Etymology

Origin of league¹

First recorded in 1425–75; from French ligue, from Italian liga, lega, from legare, from Latin ligāre “to tie, bind”

Origin of league²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English lege, leghe, leuge, from Old French legue, from Late Latin leuga, leuca, a Gaulish unit of distance equal to 1.5 Roman miles, apparently from Gaulish; (compare Breton leó, leu, lev “league”)

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Explanation

The two meanings of league are quite different — either it’s a group or federation joined for a common purpose (say, your bowling league or the League of Nations) or it’s a rough measurement of about three miles, usually at sea. One would hope that two such different meanings of the same word would have some deep connection far back in word history, but it does not seem to be the case here. The word meaning "an agreement of groups" appears to be related to the French word ligue, also found in ligature ("thing that ties"), while the league of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (an excellent adventure book if you’re in the mood) is from Middle English. We call words like these homographs — since spelling is all they seem to share!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

league leagued leaguing

That fundamental fact resulted in LIV Golf’s lawyers announcing in bankruptcy court Thursday that the upstart league is pursuing full liquidation of assets.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

But once PIF pulled out, the league was left scrambling for a way to stay afloat in 2027, with chief executive Scott O’Neil pitching investors on plans to turn things around.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

Kane scored 213 times in 320 league games for Spurs.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

LIV attorney Matthew Williams told the New Jersey bankruptcy court Thursday that the league would file a new Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan Monday.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

When it came to the supernatural, Penelope was simply out of her league, as they say nowadays.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Once we’re leagued up, we’ll post the results, and there’ll be a weekly column here summing up the score, the scenario, and the stats.

From The Verge ● Feb. 28, 2019

He may be leagued with his appointees to abstract and share a larger percentage of the assets than the law allows, thus cheating legitimate creditors.

From Time Magazine Archive

Other Post stockholders leagued to announce that Newhouse's 15% invasion was as far as he would be allowed to go.

From Time Magazine Archive

The interests leagued against Wiley, finally manufactured charges that he had misused the funds of his Bureau; and, though exonerated by President Taft after a careful investigation had been made, he resigned in protest.

From Time Magazine Archive

Big-hoofed gray horses spackled like wolves, that rolled their eyes and whinnied at my footfall, leagued with men as if strapped to their business by harness I could not see.

From "Grendel" by John Gardner

The old self-depreciation waking up to life, the old enemy leaguing with languor and despondency to mar the sweet hopefulness of convalescence.

From Heriot's Choice A Tale by Rosa Nouchette Carey

Uniting, and leaguing, and engaging to stand by one another.'

From Hard Times by Charles Dickens

In the first place, he was on bad terms with Mrs. Oldershaw, which would protect me from all danger of the two leaguing together against me if I trusted him.

From Armadale by Wilkie Collins

I have told him that all the northern tribes are leaguing now, that they have determined to keep to themselves the Big Horn country and the valleys to the north.

From Warrior Gap A Story of the Sioux Outbreak of '68. by Charles King

Next, a charge was brought that he had been leaguing with a half-crazy woman called the Nun of Kent, who had said violent things about the King.

From A Book of Golden Deeds by Charlotte Mary Yonge

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Related Words

• club
• company
• conference
• group
• organization
• society
• union

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