legion

American  

[lee-juhn] / ˈli dʒən /

noun

1. a division of the Roman army, usually comprising 3000 to 6000 soldiers.

2. a military or semimilitary unit.

3. the Legion.

   1. American Legion.

   2. foreign legion.

4. any large group of armed men.

5. any great number of persons or things; multitude.

   Synonyms:

   sea, host, mass, throng

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adjective

1. very great in number.

   The holy man's faithful followers were legion.

legion British  

/ ˈliːdʒən /

noun

1. a military unit of the ancient Roman army made up of infantry with supporting cavalry, numbering some three to six thousand men

2. any large military force

   the French Foreign Legion

3. (usually capital) an association of ex-servicemen

   the British Legion

4. (often plural) any very large number, esp of people

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adjective

1. (usually postpositive) very large or numerous

Usage

What is a legion? A legion is a large group of people or things, most commonly soldiers, as in World-famous author Stephen King has a legion of fans. Legion can also describe a very large number, as in The number of soccer fans around the world is legion.During the Roman Empire, legion referred to a division of the army that numbered between 3,000 to 6,000 soldiers. As a result, we use legion to refer to a large number of soldiers. However, legion is now used more generally to mean any big group of people or things.Example: The city was filled with legions of fans after the rock star announced they would perform a concert there.

Etymology

Origin of legion

1175–1225; Middle English legi ( o ) un (< Old French ) < Latin legiōn- (stem of legiō ) picked body of soldiers, equivalent to leg ( ere ) to gather, choose, read + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

Benchmark has joined the legions of Microsoft bulls, citing an attractive entry point following the stock’s recent struggles.

From The Wall Street Journal

The company’s strong stance on privacy and security has cultivated trust among legions of its fans who line up at Apple’s retail stores to buy its latest products.

From Los Angeles Times

“Much of the genius in Musk’s companies come from the legions of smart people empowered by the Algorithm,” McNeill writes.

From The Wall Street Journal

Even more importantly, she’s an actor with legions of fans who will follow her anywhere and watch anything that she’s in.

From Salon

Less than 30 years after “13 Going On 30” made legions of young millennials want to be “big-time magazine editors,” the classic rom-com is getting a reboot.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• army
• flock
• horde
• multitude
• throng