legend

/ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ənd/

//ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ənd// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"legend" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“legend” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,375 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#3,375
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The life story of a saint (such stories are often embellished, but any kind is called a legend).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

legend vs lend
67% similar
legend vs leger
67% similar
legend vs legged
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for legend
PropertyValue
Headwordlegend
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ənd/
Letters6
Frequency rank#3,375
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs6
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “legend” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). legend lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for legend is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ənd/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,375 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 13 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for legend, with forms such as "elgend", "leegnd", and "legedn". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 6 confusable-pair relationships, "lend", "leger", "legged", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English legende, from Old French legende, from Medieval Latin legenda (“a legend, story, especially the lives of the saints”), from Latin legenda (“things which ought to be read”), from lego (“to read”). The correct English form is legend, spelled L-E-G-E-N-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    The life story of a saint (such stories are often embellished, but any kind is called a legend).
  2. 2
    An unrealistic story depicting past events.
  3. 3
    An unrealistic story depicting past events.
  4. 4
    An unrealistic story depicting past events.
  5. 5
    An unrealistic story depicting past events.
  6. 6
    Such stories considered collectively; unverified traditional tales.
  7. 7
    A person related to a legend or legends.
  8. 8
    A person related to a legend or legends.
  9. 9
    A person related to a legend or legends.
  10. 10
    A key to the symbols and color codes on a map, chart, etc.
  11. 11
    An inscription, motto, or title, especially one surrounding the field in a medal or coin, or placed upon a heraldic shield or beneath an engraving or illustration.
  12. 12
    A musical composition set to a poetical story.
  13. 13
    The design and specification of a vessel.

Etymology

From Middle English legende, from Old French legende, from Medieval Latin legenda (“a legend, story, especially the lives of the saints”), from Latin legenda (“things which ought to be read”), from lego (“to read”).

This word in other languages

leyenda(Español)légende(Français)Legende(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: elgend,leegnd,legedn,legendd,legennd,leggend,legned,lgeend,llegend

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of legend - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

elgend2leegnd2legedn2legendd1legennd1leggend1legned2lgeend2
Edit distance from "legend"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "legend"?
"legend" is spelled L-E-G-E-N-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ənd/.
What does "legend" mean?
As a noun, "legend" means: The life story of a saint (such stories are often embellished, but any kind is called a legend).
What words are commonly confused with "legend"?
"legend" is commonly confused with "lend", "leger", "legged". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "legend"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "legend" is /ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ənd/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "legend"?
From Middle English legende, from Old French legende, from Medieval Latin legenda (“a legend, story, especially the lives of the saints”), from Latin legenda (“things which ought to be read”), from lego (“to read”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “legend”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is L-E-G-E-N-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ənd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “lend” - see the side-by-side comparison. legend vs lend
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list