- leg|end
- leg|end «LEHJ uhnd», noun.1. a story coming down from the past, which many people have believed: »
The stories about King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table are legends, not history. Listen to this Indian Legend, To this Song of Hiawatha (Longfellow).
SYNONYM(S): saga.2. such stories as a group; the legends of certain peoples: »a hero of Irish legend, a spot rich in legend.
SYNONYM(S): folklore.4. words accompanying a picture or diagram, usually explaining something about it; caption: »The legend underneath the picture identified the man as General Custer.
5. in the Middle Ages: a) a story of the life of a saint. b) a collection of saints' lives or inspirational stories.╂[< Old French legende, learned borrowing from Medieval Latin legenda (things) to be read < Latin, neuter plural gerundive of legere read]Usage legend, myth. Legend applies particularly to a story associated with some period in the history of a people or nation, often containing an element of fact but sometimes wholly untrue. Legends are intended to glorify, especially a hero, saint, object, or belief, and tell marvelous deeds he or it supposedly performed or caused to happen. Myth applies particularly to a story connected with the religion of a primitive or early civilization. Myths are told about gods or superhuman beings and are invented to explain beliefs or rituals or something in nature.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.
