legion

1 of 2

noun

le·​gion ˈlē-jən How to pronounce legion (audio)
Synonyms of legion
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

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Noun

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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
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Noun
The charismatic and spontaneous Tammy Faye earned a reputation for speaking her mind, sometimes in off-color ways, that brought her legions of fans. — John Wigger, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026 Beneath the megacap surface, legions of stocks are languishing in their own bear markets. — Daren Fonda, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026 What steps SiriusXM will take to address the issue called to their attention by legions of working- and middle-class comics is not yet clear. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026 In this slice of old Madrid classic restaurants (Lhardy, Terraza del Casino), historic bars (Casa Labra) and heritage food shops (Casa Mira, for the best turrones) are legion. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for legion

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of legion was in the 13th century

Rhymes for legion

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Browse Nearby Words

legible
legion
legionary
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Cite this Entry

“Legion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legion. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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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

More from Merriam-Webster on legion

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about legion

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