LEGIONNAIRE

PRONUNCIATION: (lee-juh-NAYR)

MEANING: noun: A member of a legion (a group of soldiers or former soldiers).

NOTES: Originally, a legion was the basic unit of the ancient Roman army, typically about 5000 soldiers. Today, the word is used in a number of senses. It can refer to any large military force. Various veterans’ organizations call themselves legions, such as the American Legion or The Royal British Legion. Finally, a legion can mean a multitude, a very large number of people, things, etc.

ETYMOLOGY: From Latin legere (to gather). Ultimately from the Indo-European root leg- (to collect), which also gave us lexicon, lesson, lecture, legible, legal, select, cull florilegium (anthology), subintelligitur (something that is not stated but understood), prolegomenon (an introduction to a text), lignify (to turn into wood), and lection (a version of a text in a particular edition). Earliest documented use: 1595.
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LEGION NAIVE - babes in arms

LEG: IONIA IRE - miniskirt in ancient Greece evokes anger

LEGION NACRE - the jewel of the army