heypolyglot
Italian

leggenda

/ledˈd͡ʒɛn.da/noun · feminineB1
Less common · Top 5,000

Meaning

legend

  • legend, myth
  • key, caption (on maps or charts)

In a sentence

La leggenda del lago mi fa ancora paura.

The legend of the lake still scares me.

Hai letto la leggenda sotto questa foto?

Did you read the caption under this photo?

Non è vero, è solo una leggenda.

It's not true, it's just an old wives' tale.

Word forms (2)
WordWord forms
leggendafeminine · singular
leggendefeminine · plural

Usage notes

  • Use leggenda for myths or map/chart keys; for a caption under a photo, say didascalia, not leggenda.
  • For a famous, admired person, leggenda can mean “legend”; mito is often more informal or emotional.
  • An old wives’ tale is often una leggenda metropolitana or just una leggenda, depending on context.

Related words

Opposites

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