legion

[ lee-juhn ]

noun

1. a division of the Roman army, usually comprising 3000 to 6000 soldiers.
2. a military or semimilitary unit.
3. the Legion.
   1. American Legion.
   2. foreign legion ( def 2 ).
4. any large group of armed men.
5. any great number of persons or things; multitude.

   Synonyms: sea, host, mass, throng

adjective

1. very great in number:

   The holy man's faithful followers were legion.

legion

/ ˈliːdʒən /

noun

1. a military unit of the ancient Roman army made up of infantry with supporting cavalry, numbering some three to six thousand men
2. any large military force

   the French Foreign Legion

3. usually capital an association of ex-servicemen

   the British Legion

4. often plural any very large number, esp of people

adjective

1. usually postpositive very large or numerous

Word History and Origins

Origin of legion¹

1175–1225; Middle English legi ( o ) un (< Old French ) < Latin legiōn- (stem of legiō ) picked body of soldiers, equivalent to leg ( ere ) to gather, choose, read + -iōn- -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of legion¹

C13: from Old French, from Latin legio, from legere to choose

Example Sentences

The Beatles' youthful exuberance was central to their success, chiming with the legions of British teenagers that had begun to follow them.

From BBC

Although some fans and locals quietly lined the street during the service, One Direction’s legion of fans did not converge on the small town.

From Los Angeles Times

“Cher: The Memoir, Part One,” is a fun read, a candid and well-written book that will justifiably make her legion of fans excited for the release of the second volume.

From Los Angeles Times

The pair took their legions of fans by surprise when they announced their split.

From BBC

“Conquest Music are proud to have had Paul Di’Anno in our artist family and ask his legion of fans to raise a glass in his memory.”

From Los Angeles Times

More About Legion

What is a legion?

A legion is a large group of people or things, most commonly soldiers, as in World-famous author Stephen King has a legion of fans. 

Legion can also describe a very large number, as in The number of soccer fans around the world is legion.

During the Roman Empire, legion referred to a division of the army that numbered between 3,000 to 6,000 soldiers. As a result, we use legion to refer to a large number of soldiers. However, legion is now used more generally to mean any big group of people or things.

Example: The city was filled with legions of fans after the rock star announced they would perform a concert there.

Where does legion come from?

The first records of legion come from around 1175. It ultimately comes from the Latin legiōn, meaning “a gathered body of soldiers.”

The Roman army, one of the most powerful in history, was divided into military units or groups known as legions. Legions were made of thousands of soldiers who kept order in Rome’s huge empire. Many organizations since, such as the American Legion and the French Foreign Legion have likely used the word legion to refer to Rome’s military power.

Today, legion is instead used more generally to mean a very big group of people or things. Similar to a horde or a swarm, a legion is a group so large that it is beyond counting and might even seem endless. A large library, for example, might be stocked with legions of books that fill hundreds of shelves.

Similarly, legion also describes a gigantic number. For example, in the Bible, a demon possessing a man tells Jesus that “my name is Legion, for we are many.” The hacker group Anonymous describes itself as legion because of its supposed large number of members.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to legion?

• legionary (adjective, noun)
• legionnaire (noun)

What are some synonyms for legion?

• army
• horde
• flock
• myriad

What are some words that share a root or word element with legion? 

• legionary
• legionnaire

What are some words that often get used in discussing legion?

• Roman Empire
• army
• soldiers
• French
• American
• fans

How is legion used in real life?

Legion is often used to mean a huge group of people or things.

I don't know if the new myspace design is enough to save them from the legions of haters, but it's cool that they're trying.

— Garin Kilpatrick (@Garin) November 16, 2010

Legions of toys and my kid only wants to play with a Taco Bell cup.

— Anna Rev (@revelinanna) January 2, 2017

Enjoying time with my wife and the legion of cats, who are sleeping happily.

— David O’Mahony (@DavidOMahony) November 10, 2012

 

 

Try using legion!

Is legion used correctly in the following sentence?

The protest was attended by a legion of people that stretched for miles.