2 syllables: leg, ends. Stress on leg.
/ˈlɛdʒəndz/
Say it backLegends are famous stories or figures passed down through generations, often involving heroic deeds or mythical origins. In modern use, the term also refers to people who are exceptionally celebrated in a field. The word conveys a sense of enduring reputation, mythic status, and cultural memory, sometimes with a hint of exaggeration.
"The legends of King Arthur have shaped Western storytelling for centuries."
"She became a legend in the world of basketball after breaking the scoring record."
"The singer’s early performances turned him into a legend in the local music scene."
You pronounce it as /ˈlɛdʒəndz/ in US and UK; the first syllable carries primary stress. It sounds like LEDJ-əndz, with the J as the /dʒ/ sound as in 'judge,' followed by a schwa before the final z. In careful speech, keep the /dʒ/ crisp and avoid turning the vowel of the first syllable into a lax, unstressed form. Listen to native speech for subtle timing.
Common errors include mispronouncing the /dʒ/ as /d/, giving 'leh-dends' instead of /ˈlɛdʒəndz/, and misplacing the stress by saying /ˈlɛːdʒ-əndz/. Another frequent issue is pronouncing the final /z/ too loudly or making it a voiceless /s/. Correct by: focusing on the /d͡ʒ/ blend immediately after the short front vowel, using a quick but clean transition to the schwa, and ending with a light, voiced /z/.
In US and UK, the /ˈlɛdʒəndz/ form is common, with rhoticity affecting linking only in connected speech. Australian speakers often maintain /ˈlɛd͡ʒəndz/ but may reduce the syllable tension slightly, and vowels may be marginally higher or tenser depending on regional variety. The primary difference lies in vowel quality of /ɛ/ and the consonant release timing; avoid over-drawing the first syllable in Australian speech to keep it brisk.
Two main challenges: the /d͡ʒ/ blend after a short front vowel and the quick transition to the schwa. The /d͡ʒ/ requires placing the tongue blade to briefly obstruct air, then release into /ən/; many learners insert an extra vowel or soften the /d͡ʒ/. The final /əndz/ cluster can be tricky: ensure a light, voiced /z/ rather than a siloed /s/ or /z/ with excessive voicing. Practice tight, even timing across syllables.
The primary nuance is the immediate /d͡ʒ/ after the front vowel, which must be clean and not delayed by an added vowel sound. You’ll want to avoid lengthening the first syllable or turning it into /ˈlɛd͡ʒənz/ with an extra syllabic consonant. Keeping the second syllable unstressed and short helps the word flow naturally in phrases like ‘sports legends’.
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Legend comes from the Latin legenda ‘things to be read,’ from legere ‘to read, choose, collect.’ In Late Latin, legenda referred to things to be read aloud, especially hagiographies or saint’s lives. The term migrated into Old French as legende, carrying the sense of a story or record. English borrowed it in the 14th century, initially tied to traditional stories about saints or heroic figures (e.g., “legends of saints”). By the 17th–18th centuries, it broadened to include famous or celebrated persons, and in modern usage, it often carries a sense of enduring cultural memory or larger-than-life status. The plural legends emerged to describe multiple storied accounts or prominent figures, while the alternative sense of a person’s reputation—“a legend in his own time”—arose in colloquial English, emphasizing influence rather than literal truth.
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Words that rhyme with "legends"
-end sounds
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