legion

5 synonyms and 1 antonym for legion, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A large division of the ancient Roman army, typically a few thousand infantry plus cavalry support.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

host numerous

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

multitude

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

throng horde

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

A large division of the ancient Roman army, typically a few thousand infantry plus cavalry support.

“The Roman legion advanced in tight, disciplined formation.”

multitude host throng horde

2. adj

Very great in number; numerous.

“The complaints about the new policy were legion.”

numerous

Opposites

few

How to use legion

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

a legion of fans a legion of followers the Roman legion the Foreign Legion

Etymology

From Old French legion, from Latin legio, "a gathering" or "a levied army" — related to legere, "to gather" (the same root gives us legend and lecture). The everyday sense of "a huge number" comes from the Bible, where a man possessed by many spirits says "my name is Legion, for we are many."

Full origin of legion →

Frequently asked questions

What does “legion” mean?

The word “legion” means a large division of the ancient Roman army, typically a few thousand infantry plus cavalry support. In plain terms, a legion is either a big division of an army, or, more loosely, any huge crowd or number of something.

How do you pronounce “legion”?

“Legion” is pronounced LEE-juhn (/ˈli.d͡ʒən/ in IPA).

How do you use “legion” in a sentence?

Here is “legion” used in a sentence: “The Roman legion advanced in tight, disciplined formation.”

What part of speech is “legion”?

Depending on how it is used, “legion” can be a noun and an adjective.

Where does the word “legion” come from?

The word “legion” comes from Latin.

Is “legion” a common word?

“Legion” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C2 level.

How many meanings does “legion” have?

“Legion” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large division of the ancient Roman army, typically a few thousand infantry plus cavalry support.

What is the difference between a legion and an army?

A legion was a specific large division within the ancient Roman army, typically made up of a few thousand infantry along with cavalry support, whereas an army is the broader, general term for the entire organised military force. So a Roman army could be made up of multiple legions.

What does it mean when problems or fans are described as legion?

Used as an adjective, legion means very great in number or numerous, so saying complaints are legion means there are too many to easily count. This usage extends the original military sense of a large group into a general description of overwhelming quantity.

Is legion used as a plural or singular noun?

Legion can be used as a singular noun referring to one large group or Roman military division, but it is also used informally as a collective way to describe a large group of people or things seen as too many to count.

People also searched

few host numerous multitude horde throng

Nearby words

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