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

Adjective

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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
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
In petitions, legal action and IG posts, the Hollywood guilds and a legion of A-listers are pessimistic Ellison will keep his expansive theatrical promises if and when the deal finally closes. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2026 The industry recruited legions of transportation planners and politicians; by the mid-20th century, these new allies had agreed to rebuild their cities to accommodate cars. — Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 6 Aug. 2026 Everyone else in the Wanda legion was supporting their queen from afar. — Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026 Seeing no evil are legions of crooked operators — customs inspectors, tax agents, military commanders, among other enablers. — Foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 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

See All Rhymes for legion

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 13 Aug. 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

Nglish: Translation of legion for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about legion

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