Definition of LEGEND (original) (raw)
1
a
: a story coming down from the past
especially : one popularly regarded as historical although not verifiable
the legend of a lost continent
b
: a body of such stories
a place in the legend of the frontier
c
: a popular myth of recent origin
the legend of the Loch Ness monster
d
: a person or thing that inspires legends
e
: the subject of a legend
its violence was legend even in its own time—
William Broyles Jr.
2
a
: an inscription or title on an object (such as a coin)
The quarter bore the legend "In God We Trust."
b
The legend identifies the various parts of the illustrated anatomy.
c
: an explanatory list of the symbols on a map or chart
Synonyms
Examples of legend in a Sentence
I don't believe the legends I've heard about this forest. the legend of a lost continent He has become a baseball legend. The gravestone bears the legend “Rest in Peace.”
Recent Examples on the Web Her talent, career arc, and on-court demeanor closely resembles another West coast legend that spent 20 years in the same uniform. —Shane Young, Forbes, 22 Sep. 2024 The rock legend — whose life was chronicled in the 2023 documentary Carlos — is known for his skills on the guitar and as the founding member of Santana, but his kids have become musicians and artists in their own right. —Makena Gera, Peoplemag, 21 Sep. 2024 Longtime legend:Al McCoy has called Phoenix Suns games since 1972 Need a break? —Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 21 Sep. 2024 At one point in his career, Hill helped convince Jordan to seek global expansion, even though the NBA legend had his doubts. —Kim Bhasin, Fortune, 21 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for legend 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'legend.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English legende, from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French legende, from Medieval Latin legenda, from Latin, feminine of legendus, gerundive of legere to gather, select, read; akin to Greek legein to gather, say, logos speech, word, reason
First Known Use
circa 1500, in the meaning defined at sense 2a
Time Traveler
The first known use of legend was circa 1500
Dictionary Entries Near legend
Cite this Entry
“Legend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legend. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
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Last Updated: 25 Sep 2024 - Updated example sentences
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