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legionary

American  
[lee-juh-ner-ee] / ˈli dʒəˌnɛr i /

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or belonging to a legion.

  2. constituting a legion or legions.


noun

legionaries plural
  1. History/Historical. a soldier of a Roman legion.

  2. a member of the British Legion.

  3. legionnaire.

legionary British  
/ ˈliːdʒənərɪ /

adjective

  1. of or relating to a legion

"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

noun

  1. a soldier belonging to a legion

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of legionary

From the Latin word legiōnārius, dating back to 1570–80. See legion, -ary

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

It was always the hand of the legionary soldier, wielding the sword.

From The Wall Street Journal Mar. 19, 2026

Nonetheless, one of the donors who paid to decorate the ancient house of worship was a centurion serving in the adjacent Roman legionary camp.

From Seattle Times Aug. 14, 2023

At one point, another claimant approached a blue-eyed legionary in a lacrosse sweatshirt to ask what it would take to gain his support.

From New York Times Feb. 2, 2021

The teenage hero is among a few witnesses, including a Neanderthal cave man, a Roman legionary and the preteen daughter of a Princeton University professor, called before a tribunal representing three great galaxies.

From Washington Post Nov. 19, 2020

We need not follow Grounsell through the busy days which ensued, nor track him in his various negotiations with tradespeople, bankers, house-agents, and that legionary class which are called "commissionaires."

From The Daltons, Volume II (of II) Or,Three Roads In Life by Lever, Charles James

The drawing depicted a boat landing on shore with 1908 written on the side of it — the year the Rotterdam-based club was created — and with bloodied Roman legionaries cowering behind their shields.

From Seattle Times May 23, 2022

Not surprisingly, Praetorians were recruited from veteran legionaries.

From Textbooks Jan. 1, 2020

One was a slablike, Spanish-influenced religious scene of Christ mocked by Roman legionaries.

From New York Times Aug. 1, 2019

It is the stories from these people that will filter back over the course of January like stories of lost Roman legionaries on the wrong side of Hadrian's Wall.

From BBC Dec. 19, 2012

The legionaries might be armed and organized in the same manner as Unsullied ... but the eunuchs knew no other life, whereas the Ghiscari were free citizens who served for three-year terms.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

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