the stuff of legend

idiomatic phrase

variants or less commonly the stuff of legends

1

: someone or something that is told about in legend

Dragons are still the stuff of legend. But in Slovenia, a bizarre, cave-dwelling … salamander serves as a worthy, real-life stand-in.

—Olivia Lowenberg

2

: someone or something that is very famous or memorable

Earlier that summer, Saito faced off with Tanaka in Japan's national high school championships, which are at least the equivalent of March Madness in the United States. Their battles were the stuff of legend, but Saito's team won and he struck out Tanaka for the final out of the deciding game.

—Anthony Rieber

For those of us who ran around in it, the blizzard of '78 was the stuff of legend, an unrelenting force of nature that smacked Boston upside the head for about a week.

—Bob Flaherty

The contest between ruling authorities and peasants over whether or not martyrs would be commemorated could itself become the stuff of legends.

—Anne Walthall

Examples of the stuff of legend in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Photo : Bonhams 1985 Lancia Delta S4 Stradale Lancia is the stuff of legend, known for its dominance in Group B rally throughout the 1980s with the 037 and the 037’s successor, the Delta S4. —Christian Gilbertsen, Robb Report, 27 Mar. 2025

The longevity of vehicles like the original Toyota Land Cruiser and the Toyota Corolla is the stuff of legend. —Charles Singh, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025

Johnson’s performance in leading the Knights to a 104-98 overtime win over Villanova on Saturday is the stuff of legends. —Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2025

France’s love affair with jewelry is the stuff of legends. —Ian Malone, Vogue, 2 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1