noun
legend
LEJ-und/ˈledʒənd/
A traditional account of remarkable events not fully verified as history.
The elder tells a legend about a knight and a dragon.
Etymology
Legends were originally 'things to be read,' especially saints' lives. The name broadened to mythical stories and, by extension, people whose exceptional achievements make them subjects of such stories.
In context
there is an important difference between a powerful legend and a proven historical explanation. There is no solid evidence that allows us to say with certainty
More examples
- According to legend, the queen still guards the ruined castle.
- These legends pass from grandparents to children.
- Historians struggle to separate fact from legend in his life story.
Forms
legend · legends
legendary adjective — Described in or based on legends.
Similar words
- myth
- Often explains origins or beliefs through gods and supernatural events.
- folktale
- A traditional story not necessarily believed to describe historical events.