legend en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
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”).
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) 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.
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(countable, uncountable) An unrealistic story depicting past events. ▸ A story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events.
The legend of Troy was discovered to have a historical basis.
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(countable, uncountable) An unrealistic story depicting past events. ▸ A plausible story set in the historical past, but whose historicity is uncertain.
the legend of Robin Hood
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(countable, uncountable) An unrealistic story depicting past events. ▸ 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.
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(countable, uncountable) An unrealistic story depicting past events. ▸ A fabricated backstory for a spy, with associated documents and records.
Sorge solidified his own position by returning to Germany and developing a new legend. He joined the Nazi Party[…].
2003, Rodney Carlisle, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Spies and Espionage, Alpha Books, →ISBN, page 105:If the documents are needed to establish "a light legend," meaning a superficial cover story, no steps are taken to make sure that if someone calls the college or motor vehicle department, the name on the document will be registered.
1992, Ronald Kessler, Inside the CIA, Pocket Books, published 1994, →ISBN, page 115:Both the agent's legend and documents were intended to stand up against casual questions from Soviet citizens, such as during a job interview, or a routine police document check, such as were made at railway stations.
2005, Curtis Peebles, Twilight Warriors, Naval Institute Press, →ISBN, page 25:According to his legend, he once worked for the Red Cross, spreading humanitarian aid in Africa.
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(uncountable) 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.
1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 212:
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(countable, uncountable) A person related to a legend or legends. ▸ A leading protagonist in a historical legend.
Achilles is a legend in Greek culture.
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(countable, uncountable) A person related to a legend or legends. ▸ A person of extraordinary fame or accomplishments.
Michael Jordan stands as a legend in basketball.
Sachin Tendulkar stands as a legend in cricket.
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(Australia, Ireland, New-Zealand, UK, colloquial, countable, slang, uncountable) A person related to a legend or legends. ▸ A person of extraordinary fame or accomplishments. ▸ A cool, nice or helpful person, especially one who is male.
I've lost my pen! —Here mate, borrow mine. —You legend.
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(countable, uncountable) 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.
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(countable, uncountable) 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.
[…]there were three small brass coins there, the gift of Ymar. Their legends, like their faces, had worn away; and they were dark with verdigris — in appearance precisely the ancient things they were.
1987, Gene Wolfe, chapter XLVIII, in The Urth of the New Sun, 1st US edition, New York: Tor Books, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 281: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.
1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 375, about Terling:
- (countable, uncountable) A musical composition set to a poetical story.
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(countable, uncountable) The design and specification of a vessel.
The legend and sketch designs were submitted to the Board on 27th March 1916 and, after examining a model and the drawings, the Sea Lords generally favoured proposal 'B'; the extra weight involved being acceptable.
1976, Alan Raven, John Roberts, British Battleships of World War Two: The Development and Technical History of the Royal Navy's Battleships and Battlecruisers from 1911 to 1946, page 63: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.
1929, Journal of the American Society of Naval Engineers, Inc, page 304:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| legends | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
legendic · legendize · living legend · legendist · legendless · legend in one's own lunchtime · legend in one's own lifetime · legend in one's own mind · black legend · legend in one's own time · skinny legend · urban legend · legendry · legendmaker · sublegend · legendization
Relateds
Synonyms
inscription · myth · brick · cover story · hero · guide · myth · tall tale · key
Translations (207)
id legenda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · sh gȃtka (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · kk ертек (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ru сказа́ние (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ug رىۋايەت (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ba легенда (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ast lleenda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · nl legenda (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · el υπόμνημα (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · eo legendulo (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · gl lenda (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · sl legenda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · el θρύλος (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · hak 傳說 /传说 (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · lv leģenda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · gld тэ̄луӈу (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · pt legenda (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · pl legenda (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · kmr efsane (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · az əfsanə (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · fi legenda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · nb symboler (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · tl alamat (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · bo གཏམ་རྒྱུད (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · lo ຕຳນານ (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ru леге́нда (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · cy chwedl (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ja 偉人 (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · sa इतिहास (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · it legenda (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · mn ᠳᠣᠮᠤᠭ (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · oj aadizokaan (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ajp خرافة (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · tr lejant (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · ro legendă (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · ml ഇതിഹാസം (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · ms lagenda (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · el θρύλος (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ru леге́нда (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · bg леге́нда (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · sv legend (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · nb legende (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · vi truyền thuyết (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · es leyenda (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · hu legenda (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · is myndskýring (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · da legende (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ml ഇതിഹാസം (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · hu jelkulcs (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · sw hekaya (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · vi chú giải (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · enm legende (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · cs legenda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · sh лѐге̄нда (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · vi huyền thoại (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · ar بَطَلَة (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · ko 전설 (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · es leyenda (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · ur اَفْسانَہ (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · it mito (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · de Legende (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · hy առասպել (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · tg афсона (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · fr légende (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · pt lenda (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · pl legenda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · eo mapklarigo (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · ms legenda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · nl legende (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · bg леге́нда (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · mk легенда (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · es simbología (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · mi kōrero tara (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ja 伝説 (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · izh legenda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · sh пре̏даја (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ja 巨人 (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · lv pasaka (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · hy լեգենդ (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ca llegenda (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · my ဒဏ္ဍာရီ (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · sk legenda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · pl legenda (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · de Legende (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · sq gojëdhënë (tosk) (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · sl legenda (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · bg леге́нда (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · uz afsona (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ru пове́рье (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · la fabula (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · es leyenda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · it leggenda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · sh га̑тка (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ro legendă (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · nn legende (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · id riwayat (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · hu jelmagyarázat (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · tt легенда (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · gsw-FR-als sàga (Mulhouse) (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · af legende (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · lv teika (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · mi pūrākau (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · hi अफ़्साना (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · tg ривоят (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · tr efsane (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · kmr dastan (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ota اسطوره (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · sh lègēnda (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · sl pripoved (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · hu legenda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · is sögn (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · it favola (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ba риүәйәт (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · uk леге́нда (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · kk әпсана (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · yue 傳說 /传说 (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · scn liggenna (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · tk rowaýat (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · wuu 傳說 /传说 (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · cmn 傳說 /传说 (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ko 범례 (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · nan-hbl 傳說 /传说 (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · pt lenda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · uz rivoyat (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ar بَطَل (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · tr kahraman (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · et legend (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · el επεξήγηση (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · sk povesť (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · sv teckenförklaringar (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · kk аңыз (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · it leggenda (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · kk легенда (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ru преда́ние (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · bo སྒྲུང་གཏམ (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ar أُسْطُورَة (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ru усло́вные обозначе́ния (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · it mostro sacro (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · cs pověst (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · hi किंवदंती (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ru леге́нда (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ja 凡例 (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · fi legenda (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · be леге́нда (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ar مِفْتَاح خَرِيطَة (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · ota داستان (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · cmn 圖例 /图例 (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · cmn 說明 /说明 (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · he מִקְרָא (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · eo legendo (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ca llegenda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · mn домог (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ga finscéal (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · fr légende (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · hy ավանդություն (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · nb tegnforklaring (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · scn fàvula (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · sh лѐге̄нда (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · eo legendo (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · yi לעגענדע (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · he אַגָּדָה (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ps روايت (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · got 𐍃𐍀𐌹𐌻𐌻 (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ur رِوایَت (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · km ឥតិហាស (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · fr légende (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · hi रिवायत (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · sh káža (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · gl lenda (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · tk legenda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · sh lègēnda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · fi selitykset (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · it epopea (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · sq gojdhânë (gheg) (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · scn cuntu (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ka ლეგენდა (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · fi selite (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · ky легенда (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · bn কিংবদন্তি (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ota افسانه (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · fa-ira رِوایَت (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ps افسانه (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · vi huyền thoại (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · my သမိုင်း (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · tt риваять (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · el λεζάντα (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · af legende (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · cmn 傳奇 /传奇 (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · ca llegenda (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · lt legenda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · sq legjendë (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ug ئەپسانە (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · sh ка́жа (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · sv legendar (any person of extraordinary accomplishment) · th สัญลักษณ์ (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · af sleutel (key to the symbols and color codes on a map) · uz legenda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · tr efsane (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · ms riwayat (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · fa-ira اَفْسانِه (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · sh prȅdaja (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · gd fionnsgeul (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · gl lenda (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · km ព្រេងនិទាន (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · th ตำนาน (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · kk әфсана (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events) · km រឿងព្រេង (story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events)