legion

1 of 2

noun

le·​gion ˈlē-jən 

1

: the principal unit of the Roman army comprising 3000 to 6000 foot soldiers with cavalry

Caesar and his legions defeated the Gauls.

2

: a large military force

especially : army sense 1a

the French Foreign Legion

3

: a very large number : multitude

… won him … a legion of devoted followers.

—Irving Kolodin

4

: a national association of ex-servicemen

the American Legion

legion

2 of 2

adjective

: many, numerous

the problems are legion

Synonyms of legion

Noun

• army

Adjective

• many
• numerous
• multiple

Examples of legion in a Sentence

Noun

Legions of people came to see him perform.

joined the French Foreign Legion

Adjective

the obstacles that the programmers had to overcome have been legion

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Speaking through tears on stage at London’s O2 Arena on Tuesday night, Grande expressed her heartfelt gratitude to her legions of fans. — Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026

However, in the over 40 years since its release, the movie has found legions of fans, in part thanks to its release on home video, through TV broadcasts and, later, streaming services. — Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026

So to Dolly, from that 6-year-old Kentucky boy attending his first concert, and your legions of fans in every corner of the world, a heartfelt thank you for the music and a lifetime of memories. — Michael Collins, USA Today, 26 Aug. 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. — Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin legion-, legio, from legere to gather — more at legend

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1687, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for legion

• region
• collegian
• norwegian
• subregion

Kids Definition

legion

noun

le·​gion

ˈlē-jən

1

: the chief unit of the Roman army consisting of 3000 to 6000 foot soldiers with cavalry

2

: army sense 1a

3

: a very large number : multitude