2 syllables: Le, gions. Stress on Le.
LEE-juhnz
/ˈlidʒənz/
Legions is pronounced LEE-juhnz (/ˈlidʒənz/). It has two syllables (Le-gions), with the stress on "Le". Legions refers to large organized military units or, more broadly, large groups or masses of people. It can denote ancient Roman legions or any similarly expansive, disciplined force. The term conveys scale, organization, and authority, often with historical or formal connotations.
nounLegions refers to large organized military units or, more broadly, large groups or masses of people. It can denote ancient Roman legions or any similarly expansive, disciplined force. The term conveys scale, organization, and authority, often with historical or formal connotations.
"The invading army unleashed its legions, overwhelming the footholds with relentless discipline."
"In Roman history, a legion was a unit composed of thousands of soldiers."
"The protest gathered legions of supporters online, amplifying their message."
Legions is pronounced LEE-jənz, with primary stress on the first syllable. The first part uses the long E sound /iː/ as in 'see,' followed by a soft 'j' /dʒ/ like in 'suggest.' The second syllable is a schwa /ə/ or a reduced vowel, leading to a voiced /z/ at the end, so the full IPA is /ˈliː.dʒənz/. You can imagine it as two beats: LEA-zhənz, with the second syllable unstressed.
Common errors include turning /ˈliː.dʒənz/ into a hard 'z' at the end or misplacing the /dʒ/ as a simple /j/ or /dʒ/ combination. Another frequent slip is reducing the first syllable to /lɪ/ or /lɛ/ under rapid speech. To correct, emphasize the long E in the first syllable before the /dʒ/ blend, and keep the second syllable as a quick /ən/ with a light schwa. End with a clear, voiced /z/ rather than a crisp /s/.
Across accents, the main variation lies in the vowel length of the first syllable and the quality of the /ɪ/ vs /iː/ sound in related words. US and UK varieties maintain /ˈliː.dʒənz/, with rhoticity not affecting this word significantly. Australian English tends to maintain the same /ˈliː.dʒənz/ pattern but may have a slightly more centralized or less tense /iː/ depending on speaker. Overall, the pronunciation remains largely consistent, with minor vowel shifts and rhythm.
The difficulty often lies in the /dʒ/ blend after a long /iː/ and the final /z/ sonority after a 'n' in rapid speech. The transition from the long front vowel to the affricate /dʒ/ can feel abrupt if you don’t set the tongue lift properly. Practicing the sequence /iː/ + /dʒ/ with a light contact and ensuring the /ənz/ ending remains fluid helps avoid a clipped ending. Listening to native speakers can calibrate timing.
A unique point is the two-syllable rhythm where the first syllable bears primary stress, but the second syllable quickly reduces to /ən/. The combination /dʒ/ after /iː/ is a specific mouth position requiring a faster release than a plain /j/ or /d/, so keep a light, clean affricate with a brief release before the final /ənz/. This gives you a precise LEA-jənz rhythm.
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Legion originates from Latin legio, meaning a military unit. The classical Roman legions were the foundational term for large-scale military formations, typically around 4,000–6,000 soldiers, though exact numbers varied over time. The Latin plural legiones extended into English via Old French legion and Latin-based terms in medieval and early modern Europe, maintaining the sense of a large organized body. Over centuries, 'legion' broadened in English to describe any large, organized group, not only in military contexts but also metaphorically (e.g., a legion of fans). The plural 'legions' preserves the sense of multiple such groups or numerous formations. The word entered English with documented use in the medieval period, but its semantic evolution toward modern military and figurative uses intensified in the 16th–19th centuries as classical references influenced statecraft, scholarship, and popular culture. The term remains common in historical writing and contemporary fiction, often carrying a weight of discipline, order, and mass magnitude.
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Words that rhyme with "Legions"
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