legend

American  

[lej-uhnd] / ˈlɛdʒ ənd /

noun

legends plural

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.

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legend British  

/ 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

7. 1. a story of the life of a saint

   2. a collection of such stories

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Synonym Usage

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 Word Forms

Derived Forms

• legendry
  noun
• prelegend
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• legends
  plural

Etymology

Origin of legend

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

Explanation

A legend is a larger-than-life story that gets passed down from one generation to the next — like the legends of Beowulf, Robin Hood, or even Big Foot. Legend comes from the Latin legere, "to read." The Latin word was originally limited to written stories, but in English, legend lost that limitation. Often a legend lives on in the stories that people tell each other. A person can be a legend, too. Anne Frank is a legend for keeping a diary of hidden life in war time, and a less famous person, like a long-serving local teacher, can be a legend to neighborhood kids.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

legend legends

From “Down goes Frazier!” to “Do you believe in miracles?” each one is a master class in timing and brevity that etches one singular moment straight into legend.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026

It's nothing new - John Aldridge, Mexico legend Hugo Sanchez and Pele all used the stutter to gain an advantage - but it can backfire spectacularly if the goalkeeper doesn't commit to diving early.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

Yet, when Cook revealed in April that he was stepping down, Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, publicly praised him as "a legend", adding he was "very thankful for everything he has done".

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

If his first name inevitably evokes Arthurian legend, Fery’s march through the draw gave Britain reason to believe again.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

A work of unprecedented complexity for its time, it was carved by a remarkably gifted artist who makes us feel the visionary rapture of a bard as he sings his legend.

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson

Beyond the legends, native mantises also play an important ecological role by serving as indicators of healthy, biodiverse ecosystems.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026

Other speculation has revolved around potential performers, including Stevie Nicks and Tim McGraw - music legends who have inspired the superstar throughout her career.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026

However, after a halftime break honoring Sparks and Liberty legends like Lisa Leslie and Teresa Weatherspoon, among many others at half court, L.A. was rejuvenated for the final 20 minutes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026

Every new nation requires a new set of legends, and in the U.S. these were provided by Washington Irving, “America’s first bona fide best-selling author,” in the words of one biographer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026

Then he started gathering old faerie stories too, legends about bogies and shamble-men.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

Related Words

• fable
• fiction
• folklore
• lore
• myth
• mythology
• tale
• tradition