legion
Americannoun
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legions
plural
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a division of the Roman army, usually comprising 3000 to 6000 soldiers.
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a military or semimilitary unit.
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the Legion.
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any large group of armed men.
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any great number of persons or things; multitude.
adjective
noun
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a military unit of the ancient Roman army made up of infantry with supporting cavalry, numbering some three to six thousand men
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any large military force
the French Foreign Legion
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(usually capital) an association of ex-servicemen
the British Legion
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(often plural) any very large number, esp of people
adjective
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.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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
Explanation
A legion is a horde or a large number of people or things. It was originally a term for a military unit. In Roman times, a legion was a large unit of men in the army, and the word is still used in many militaries. However, it also means a whole bunch of people doing anything. If someone has many fans, you can say legion of fans or legions of fans, but either way, that's a lot of fans. There are legions of stars in the sky. When you see legion, you can be sure there's an awful lot of something.
Vocabulary lists containing legion
Ancient Rome - Introductory
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Ancient Rome - Middle School and High School
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Inherit the Wind
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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:
Depending on the role, his baritone voice could command a legion of Starfleet officers, superhero mutants or a royal court.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
SpaceX doesn’t directly compete with China’s launch providers; the nation’s two major conglomerates and its legion of startups primarily sell to their own government.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 20, 2026
“Like we are not standing by ourselves, we are a legion, basically.”
From Salon ● Sep. 20, 2026
But for one celebrity in China, even a legion of devoted fans was not enough to stave off the wrath of the internet.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
“Mithras is the god of Roman warriors! He is the god of the legion, the god of the empire!”
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
The local chapter ultimately endorsed her for mayor, a backing that came with legions of door-knockers talking to voters on her behalf.
From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026
To carry out the repatriation plan, he has welcomed Min Aung Hlaing -- previously shunned and credited with ordering the 2017 crackdown that sent legions of Rohingya fleeing to Malaysia in the first place.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
Beijing has poured billions into the industry as part of its self-sufficiency drive and sought to attract legions of scientists working overseas to do pioneering research in Chinese labs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
Curry, who died Tuesday at 80, made a gleefully evil turn as a clown that sparked nightmares for legions of Gen X and millennial viewers that continue to haunt to this day.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
He told of Roman legions who had come to Britain centuries before, and of Saxon and Danish kings who in turn had ruled their land.
From "The Door in the Wall" by Marguerite de Angeli
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
