Legion definition

lējən
legions
See word origin
Frequency:
The major unit of the Roman army consisting of 3,000 to 6,000 infantry troops and 100 to 200 cavalry troops.
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A large number; a multitude.
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A large military unit trained for combat; an army.
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A large number; multitude.

A legion of admirers.

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A national organization of former members of the armed forces.
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Constituting a large number; multitudinous.

Her admirers were legion. His mistakes were legion.

adjective
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(rom. history) A military division varying at times from 3,000 to 6,000 foot soldiers, with additional cavalrymen.
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A large group of soldiers; army.
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American Legion, Foreign Legion, etc.
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Numerous; many.

Her honors were legion.

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The definition of a legion is an army or other large number of people.

An example of legion is one thousand US Army troops.

An example of legion is hundreds of fans showing up to an author's book signing.

noun
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Numerous; vast; very great in number; multitudinous.

Russia's labor and capital resources are woefully inadequate to overcome the state's needs and vulnerabilities, which are legion.

adjective
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(military, Ancient Rome) The major unit or division of the Roman army, usually comprising 3000 to 6000 infantry soldiers and 100 to 200 cavalry troops.
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A large military or semimilitary unit trained for combat; any military force; an army, regiment; an armed, organized and assembled militia.
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(often Legion or the Legion) A national organization or association of former servicemen, such as the American Legion, founded in 1919.
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A large number of people; a multitude.
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(often plural) A great number.

Where one sin has entered, legions will force their way through the same breach. "” John Rogers (1679-1729) Google Books.

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(dated, taxonomy) A group of orders inferior to a class; in scientific classification, a term occasionally used to express an assemblage of objects intermediate between an order and a class.
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Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
legion
Plural:
legions

Origin of legion

  • Middle English legioun from Old French legion from Latin legiō legiōn- from legere to gather leg- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Attested (in Middle English, as legioun) around 1200, from Old French legion, from Latin legiō, legionem, from legere (“to gather, collect"); akin to legend, lecture.

    From Wiktionary

  • Generalized sense of “a large number" is due to (inaccurate) translations of allusive phrase in Mark 5:9

    From Wiktionary

Legion Sentence Examples

  • In the same year he was admitted to the Legion of Honour.

  • He received the cross of the Legion of Honour in 1862.

  • It sounded as if half a legion of armed Immortals was chasing someone through the fortress.

  • His troops included the British legion under Sir de Lacy Evans.

  • In 1814 he was made chevalier and in 1849 commander, of the Legion of Honour.

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Words near legion in the Dictionary