Literature Glossary
Don’t be an oxymoron. Know your literary terms.
Over 200 literary terms, Shmooped to perfection.
Legend
Definition:
Legend is more than just a weird '80s fantasy-adventure flick starring Tom Cruise. It's also a type of story that centers on the history of a particular person or place. These stories are often passed down from generation to generation, so they tend to be pretty well-known.
They also tend to be made up or exaggerated—at least in part. Ever heard the one about George Washington 'fessing up to chopping down his dad's cherry tree with a hatchet? That's a legend: a historical tale that sounds legit, but didn't happen… or at least didn't happen exactly like the interesting, moving, or exciting story suggests.
Longing for more legends? Check out notorious pirate Edward "Blackbeard" Teach or King Arthur, a dude so legendary that he has a whole genre named after him.