legend

noun

leg·end | \ ˈle-jənd

Definition of legend

1a : a story coming down from the past especially : one popularly regarded as historical although not verifiable the legend of a lost continent Arthurian legends

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 a baseball legend

e : the subject of a legend its violence was legend even in its own time— William Broyles Jr.

2a : an inscription or title on an object (such as a coin) The quarter bore the legend "In God We Trust".

b : caption sense 2b The legend identifies the various parts of the illustrated anatomy.

c : an explanatory list of the symbols on a map or chart

Synonyms More Example Sentences Phrases Containing legend Learn More About legend

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 Joan Selma Hult, a legend in women’s intercollegiate sports and a University of Maryland, College Park professor emerita, died Aug. 15 at the University of Maryland Laurel Medical Center. — Maya Lora, Baltimore Sun, 16 Sep. 2022 In the business of biopics, what becomes a legend most? — Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 16 Sep. 2022 Ralph, a Hollywood legend with a career spanning more than 40 years, took home her first Emmy on Monday. — Char Adams, NBC News, 13 Sep. 2022 While Deborah is a comedy legend fighting to maintain relevancy amid changing times, Ava is a down-on-her-luck comedy writer who was fired by her previous employer following an insensitive tweet. — Joelle Goldstein, Peoplemag, 12 Sep. 2022 One play will revisit a legend of the 1600s – guess who. — Sofia Krusmark, The Arizona Republic, 12 Sep. 2022 But all that has only served to build a legend that has seen chiles en nogada grow in popularity beyond the borders of Puebla. — Bill Esparza, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2022 It’s been said that replacing a legend is an impossible task, a no-win situation. — Jim Mcbride, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Sep. 2022 Catherine is no stranger to the screen as she's become a Hollywood legend who's starred in films like The Mask of Zorro, Chicago, and Ocean's Twelve. — Chaise Sanders, Country Living, 5 Sep. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'legend.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for legend

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