legion

[lee-juhn]

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

adjective

1. very great in number.

   The holy man's faithful followers were legion.

legion

/ 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

adjective

1. (usually postpositive) very large or numerous

Word History and Origins

Origin of legion¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of legion¹

C13: from Old French, from Latin legio, from legere to choose

Example Sentences

In the 1970s and 1980s, legions of people went all-in on low-fat diets.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

On top of this, many of today’s top influencers are both young and Black, attracting legions of followers and large, coveted corporate sponsorships.

Read more on Salon

New York City has challenged legions of writers who have attempted to wrestle its teeming humanity, its ever-evolving economy and the sheer too-muchness of its more than 350-year history into literary form.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A devoted viewer of the drama centered on a multigenerational Catholic family of New York policemen, Sonnier was among the legions of fans moved by the show’s signature event — the Reagans’ weekly Sunday dinners.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

IKEA’s low costs have won it legions of fans around the world.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• army 
• flock 
• horde 
• multitude 
• throng 

When To Use

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.