legion
1 of 2noun
le·gion ˈlē-jən 
1
: the principal unit of the Roman army comprising 3000 to 6000 foot soldiers with cavalry
Caesar and his legions defeated the Gauls.
2
: a large military force
especially : army sense 1a
the French Foreign Legion
3
: a very large number : multitude
won him … a legion of devoted followers
Irving Kolodin
Irving Kolodin4
: a national association of ex-servicemen
the American Legion
legion
2 of 2adjective
: many, numerous
the problems are legion
Synonyms
Noun
- army
- array
- battalion
- host
Adjective
- beaucoup [slang]
- many
- multifold
- multiple
- multiplex
- multitudinous
- numerous
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun Legions of people came to see him perform. joined the French Foreign Legion Adjective the obstacles that the programmers had to overcome have been legion
Recent Examples on the Web Damon Young, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2022 Even the maxim that lifting is good only for getting big has been routinely undermined by a new legion of fitness instructors; women who were once cautioned against handling anything mightier than a hand weight now grunt and pull with abandon. Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2022 But the In the Heights and Tick, Tick … Boom! executive music producer also has a few other famous friends, likely more recognizable by a legion of tinier fans: the puppets of PBS Kids and Fred Rogers Productions’ Donkey Hodie. Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Mar. 2022 Since Hoyer began probing Lake Erie weed beds for walleye, a legion of fishermen are going to want to try the technique. D'arcy Egan, cleveland, 2 Sep. 2022 With multiple viral hits, a successful shapewear brand, a joyful reality series bearing her name, and a legion of fans eager to defend their icon, Lizzo’s positivity and self-love overwhelms any deniers—no matter how loud their objections might be. ELLE, 28 Aug. 2022 Aides like Thomson and Potts are legion in Congress. Chad Pergram | Fox News, Fox News, 6 Aug. 2022 An unknown number of Americans, mostly with military backgrounds, have traveled to Ukraine to join the country’s foreign legion and fight alongside Ukrainian soldiers there. Abigail Williams, NBC News, 23 July 2022 Over the following years, a growing legion of devoted film fans and those just curious to see what had happened to Blackbird would take to social media to plead for its release. Alex Ritman, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 July 2022 See More
Noun
Men who’ve had great success not just despite their misogyny, but because of it, are legion. Damon Young, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2022 Even the maxim that lifting is good only for getting big has been routinely undermined by a new legion of fitness instructors; women who were once cautioned against handling anything mightier than a hand weight now grunt and pull with abandon. Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2022 But the In the Heights and Tick, Tick … Boom! executive music producer also has a few other famous friends, likely more recognizable by a legion of tinier fans: the puppets of PBS Kids and Fred Rogers Productions’ Donkey Hodie. Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Mar. 2022 Since Hoyer began probing Lake Erie weed beds for walleye, a legion of fishermen are going to want to try the technique. D'arcy Egan, cleveland, 2 Sep. 2022 With multiple viral hits, a successful shapewear brand, a joyful reality series bearing her name, and a legion of fans eager to defend their icon, Lizzo’s positivity and self-love overwhelms any deniers—no matter how loud their objections might be. ELLE, 28 Aug. 2022 Aides like Thomson and Potts are legion in Congress. Chad Pergram | Fox News, Fox News, 6 Aug. 2022 An unknown number of Americans, mostly with military backgrounds, have traveled to Ukraine to join the country’s foreign legion and fight alongside Ukrainian soldiers there. Abigail Williams, NBC News, 23 July 2022 Over the following years, a growing legion of devoted film fans and those just curious to see what had happened to Blackbird would take to social media to plead for its release. Alex Ritman, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun and Adjective
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin legion-, legio, from legere to gather — more at legend
First Known Use
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1687, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
legion
noun
le·gion ˈlē-jən
1
: a group of from 3000 to 6000 soldiers that made up the chief army unit in ancient Rome
2
: army sense 1
3
: a very great number
She has a legion of admirers.
legions
noun
1
as in armies
a large body of men and women organized for land warfare joined the French Foreign Legion Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- armies
- battalions
- troops
- soldiers
- ranks
- hosts
- militias
- arrays
- troopers
- infantries
- national guards
- regulars
- standing armies
2
as in throngs
a great number of persons or creatures massed together legions of fans crowded the stadium for the rock concert Synonyms & Similar Words
- throngs
- hordes
- swarms
- flocks
- masses
- crowds
- multitudes
- armies
- masses
- millions
- droves
- mobs
- herds
- bikes
- crushes
- hosts
- routs
- crams
- presses
- rabbles
- gaggles
- riffraffs
- rabblements
- piles
- scrums
- heaps
- mountains
- jams
- logjams
