legend
noun
leg·end ˈle-jənd 
1
a
: 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.
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
: 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
- key
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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
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 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
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing legend
Kids Definition
legend
noun
leg·end ˈle-jənd
1
: an old story that is widely believed but cannot be proved to be true
2
: a person or thing that is very famous for having special qualities or abilities
a baseball legend
3
: a list of symbols used (as on a map)
legend
noun
1
as in caption
an explanatory list of the symbols on a map or chart the legend indicated that a large circle represented a major city, while a small circle stood for a small town Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- caption
- key
- table
- guide
- scale
2
as in translation
an explanation or description accompanying a pictorial illustration the legend in the science textbook indicated that the accompanying picture had been enlarged by 1000% Synonyms & Similar Words
- caption
- translation
- cutline
- subtitle
- motto
- tagline
- slogan
- key
- closed-captioning
- posy
3
as in myth
a traditional but unfounded story that gives the reason for a current custom, belief, or fact of nature some ancient civilizations had legends about spirits that inhabited trees and rocks Synonyms & Similar Words
- myth
- fable
- mythos
- tale
- story
- allegory
- parable
- fiction
- saga
- fantasy
- narrative
- invention
- figment
- fabrication
- phantasy
- yarn
4
as in folklore
the body of customs, beliefs, stories, and sayings associated with a people, thing, or place that story of how the world came to be has long been part of Native American legend Synonyms & Similar Words
- folklore
- mythology
- tradition
- lore
- myth
- legendry
- mythos
- information
- tale
- folklife
- folktale
- anecdote
- knowledge
- wisdom
- fable
- yarn
- old wives' tale