saga

American  

[sah-guh] / ˈsɑ gə /

noun

1. a medieval Icelandic or Norse prose narrative of achievements and events in the history of a personage, family, etc.

2. any narrative or legend of heroic exploits.

   Synonyms:

   history, tale, epic

3. Also called saga novel.  a form of the novel in which the members or generations of a family or social group are chronicled in a long and leisurely narrative.

4. a dramatic history of a group, place, industry, etc..

   the saga of the transcontinental railroad.

5. any very long story with dramatic events or parts.

   the sad saga of her life in poverty.

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saga British  

/ ˈsɑːɡə /

noun

1. any of several medieval prose narratives written in Iceland and recounting the exploits of a hero or a family

2. any similar heroic narrative

3. Also called: saga novel.  a series of novels about several generations or members of a family

4. any other artistic production said to resemble a saga

5. informal a series of events or a story stretching over a long period

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Etymology

Origin of saga

First recorded in 1700–10; from Old Norse: literally, “story, narrative, history”; cognate with saw ³

Explanation

When your friend tells you every detail of how she tripped over a rock, broke her ankle, and then got into a car accident on the way to the hospital, she is sharing a long, involved story known as a saga. The word saga has its origins in the Middle Ages. In those days, a saga was an historical tale of the first families who lived in Norway or Iceland. Today the word is used to describe a very complicated or detailed series of events. A saga is the kind of long, drawn-out story that can cause the people who hear it to roll their eyes in boredom.

Example Sentences

The comedy-drama stars Abdul-Mateen as Simon Williams, a struggling Hollywood actor who wants to star in a remake of the superhero saga “Wonder Man” while hiding his own superpowers.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

The whole saga has now cost another person their job – Sir Olly Robbins, the most senior civil servant in the Foreign Office.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

Evergrande's saga -- and similar issues faced by other property giants including Country Garden and Vanke -- have been closely followed by observers assessing the health of the world's second-largest economy.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

A similar saga played out with Red Dye No. 3, which Benesh describes as “the poster child of federal government inaction.”

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2026

The young squirrel suddenly began to relate the saga of the Late Rose Summer Wars to the baby mouse.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques