legion
/ˈliːdʒən/
noun
Origin
Latin
legio — a military levy, a gathering of soldiers
Overview
Meaning Now
- A large unit of the Roman army, typically comprising 3,000 to 6,000 soldiers.
- A vast number of people or things.
Literal older meaning
a gathering, a levy
Language path
Latin → Old French → English
Earliest form
legion
Earliest period
12th century
Journey
The term originated in the Roman Republic. Initially, a 'legio' referred to the act of conscription or the draft itself, eventually coming to designate the organized body of infantry formed by that draft. In later cultural history, the word gained a figurative meaning of 'multitude' due to the biblical account in the Gospels where an unclean spirit, when asked its name, replies 'My name is Legion, for we are many'.
Evolution
- Latin
legio
“military levy”
- Vulgar Latin
legionem
“legion”
Accusative form
- Old French
legion
“legion”
- Middle English
legion
“legion”
Introduced via religious texts referring to the biblical 'Legion'
Connections
Word parts
leg-
root
to collect, gather
-ion
suffix
noun-forming suffix indicating action or result
Related across languages
French
légion
legion
Spanish
legión
legion
Related words
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Related to legion
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.