legend
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legend¹
- /ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ənd/
- /ˈliːd͡ʒ.ənd/ obsolete
Where it comes from
From Middle English legende, from Old French legende, from Medieval Latin legenda (“a legend, story, especially the lives of the saints”), from Latin legenda (“things which ought to be read”), from lego (“to read”).
noun legends
- The life story of a saint (such stories are often embellished, but any kind is called a legend). As a child she had nothing to read but the legends of early Christian martyrs.
-
A story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events.
The legend of Troy was discovered to have a historical basis.
Similar: myth
- A plausible story set in the historical past, but whose historicity is uncertain. the legend of Robin Hood
- A story in which a kernel of truth is embellished to an unlikely degree. The 1984 Rose Bowl prank has spawned many legends. Here's the real story.
-
A fabricated backstory for a spy, with associated documents and records.
According to his legend, he once worked for the Red Cross, spreading humanitarian aid in Africa.
Similar: cover story
- Such stories considered collectively; unverified traditional tales. According to ancient legend, a Greek girl, partaking of saffron for an entire week, could not resist a lover.
-
A leading protagonist in a historical legend.
Achilles is a legend in Greek culture.
Similar: hero
- A person of extraordinary fame or accomplishments. Michael Jordan stands as a legend in basketball.
-
A cool, nice or helpful person, especially one who is male.
I've lost my pen! —Here mate, borrow mine. —You legend.
Similar: brick
- A key to the symbols and color codes on a map, chart, etc. According to the legend on the map, that building is a school.
-
An inscription, motto, or title, especially one surrounding the field in a medal or coin, or placed upon a heraldic shield or beneath an engraving or illustration.
Further clues are provided by milk-floats bearing the legend 'Lord Rayleigh's Dairies: A Family Business', and a number of signs indicating the whereabouts of various departments of Lord Rayleigh's Farms.
Similar: inscription
- A musical composition set to a poetical story.
- The design and specification of a vessel. The legend displacement on the basis then in use was 48,000 tons, the corresponding standard displacement as defined by the Washington Treaty being 47,540 tons.
verb legends · legending · legended
- To tell or narrate; to recount. Nor ladie's wanton love , nor wand'ring knight, Legend I out in rymes all richly dight
Legend²
proper noun
- A male given name.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: fable, caption, storytelling, legendary, tale, story, wording, lore, folklore, explanation, miracle, script, myth, mythology, acronym, symbol
Translations
Every language
noun any person of extraordinary accomplishment
| Español | leyenda |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 傳奇 /传奇 chuánqí |
| Português | lenda |
| Français | légende |
| Italiano | mito, mostro sacro, leggenda |
| Ελληνικά | θρύλος thrýlos |
| Русский | леге́нда legénda |
| Tiếng Việt | huyền thoại |
| العربية | بَطَل baṭal, بَطَلَة baṭala |
noun story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events
| Español | leyenda |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 전설 jeonseol |
| 日本語 | 伝説 densetsu |
| 中文 | 傳說 /传说 chuánshuō |
| हिन्दी | किंवदंती kimvdantī, अफ़्साना afsānā, रिवायत rivāyat |
| Kiswahili | hekaya |
| Português | lenda |
| Français | légende |
| Deutsch | Legende |
| Italiano | leggenda, favola, epopea |
| Ελληνικά | θρύλος thrýlos |
| Română | legendă |
| Русский | леге́нда legénda, пове́рье povérʹje, сказа́ние skazánije, преда́ние predánije |
| Tiếng Việt | truyền thuyết, huyền thoại |
| العربية | أُسْطُورَة ʔusṭūra |
| עברית | אַגָּדָה agadá |
noun key to the symbols and color codes on a map
| Español | leyenda, simbología |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 범례 beomnye |
| 日本語 | 凡例 hanrei |
| 中文 | 圖例 /图例 túlì, 說明 /说明 shuōmíng |
| Português | legenda |
| Français | légende |
| Deutsch | Legende |
| Italiano | legenda |
| Ελληνικά | επεξήγηση epexígisi, λεζάντα lezánta, υπόμνημα ypómnima |
| Română | legendă |
| Русский | леге́нда legénda, усло́вные обозначе́ния uslóvnyje oboznačénija |
| Tiếng Việt | chú giải |
| العربية | مِفْتَاح خَرِيطَة miftāḥ ḵarīṭa |
| עברית | מִקְרָא mikrá |
Talk about this word "legend." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/legend. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. legend. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/legend "legend." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/legend.Cite this
@misc{legend_2026,
title = {legend},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/legend},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
