legend

[ lej-uhnd ]

/ ˈlɛdʒ ənd /

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See synonyms for: legend / legends on Thesaurus.com

noun

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

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.

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

a table on a map, chart, or the like, listing and explaining the symbols used.Compare key¹ (def. 8).

Numismatics. inscription (def. 8).

a collection of stories about an admirable person.

a person who is the center of such stories: She became a legend in her own lifetime.

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

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

OPPOSITES FOR legend

1 fact.

See antonyms for legend on Thesaurus.com

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showing self-respect

treating others with kindness

acting selfishly

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Origin of legend

First recorded in 1300–50; 1900–05 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

synonym study for legend

1. 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.

OTHER WORDS FROM legend

pre·leg·end, noun, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH legend

fable, legend , myth (see synonym study at the current entry)

Words nearby legend

leg before wicket, leg-break, leg bye, Legco, leg drop, legend, legendary, legendist, legendize, Legendre, Legendre equation

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use legend in a sentence

Last April at T-Mobile, Mike Sievert took over for a legend, John Legere, who started out in last place and ended up gaining the most customers and having the best performing stock in telecom over his eight year run.
T-Mobile wants to stir up ‘5G FOMO’ among mobile phone users|Aaron Pressman|February 5, 2021|Fortune
Only a few managed to escape, according to legend, one of them being John Gómez, who was supposedly the first narrator of the Gasparilla legend.
The Buccaneers embody Tampa’s love of pirates. Is that a problem?|Jamie Goodall|February 5, 2021|Washington Post
The legend of Achilles retold through the lens of his friend Patroclus.
Washington Post paperback bestsellers||January 26, 2021|Washington Post
Even in a hellish year-plus that has cost us so many legends, the one we lost Friday was truly one of a kind.
Nobody — And We Mean Nobody — Was Consistently Great Like Hank Aaron|Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com)|January 22, 2021|FiveThirtyEight

As a competitor and future first-ballot Hall of Famer, he surely cares about the personal opportunity to enhance his legend.
Aaron Rodgers, entering a showdown with Tom Brady, has gone from chippy to chill|Jerry Brewer|January 22, 2021|Washington Post
The attempt to “breed back” the Auroch of Teutonic legend was of a piece with the Nazi obsession with racial purity and eugenics.
‘Nazi Cows’ Tried to Kill British Farmer|Tom Sykes|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Acting legend talks about what role is closest to her heart.
Gena Rowlands on Her Favorite ‘Woman’|The Daily Beast Video|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Some lesser-known live performances from the late rock legend.
Joe Cocker's Deep Live Cuts|Asawin Suebsaeng|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Founded by German monks in present-day Old Town Stockholm, Zum Franziskaner has become a legend amongst locals and tourists.
Inside The World’s 10 Oldest Restaurants|Justin Jones|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So, for that matter, was Gladiator, the previous foray into ancient legend by director Ridley Scott.
Meet Moses the Swashbuckling Israelite|James Romm|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Her stern was towards him, and all he saw of her was the ironical legend, “Cure your Corns.”
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
His name is less romantic than those of the wonted demons of legend and folklore.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
He perceived that they had lived long enough in retirement in the little Welsh village to have acquired a pride in its legend.
Uncanny Tales|Various
But, oddly enough, as he walked back to the hotel it was just Betty Lardner who made him think again of the legend.
Uncanny Tales|Various
It was probably this opposition that made young Cargill decide that it would be really worth while to defy the legend.
Uncanny Tales|Various

British Dictionary definitions for legend

legend

/ (ˈlɛdʒənd) /

noun

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

a group of such storiesthe Arthurian legend

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

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

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

explanatory matter accompanying a table, map, chart, etc

a story of the life of a saint
a collection of such stories

Derived forms of legend

legendry, noun

Word Origin for legend

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

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

legend

OPPOSITES FOR legend

Origin of legend

synonym study for legend

OTHER WORDS FROM legend

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH legend

Words nearby legend

Words related to legend

How to use legend in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for legend

Derived forms of legend

Word Origin for legend