different between legend vs narrative

English

Etymology

From Middle English legende, from Old French legende, from Medieval Latin legenda (“a legend, story, especially the lives of the saints”), from Latin legenda (“things which ought to be read”), from lego (“I read”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?l?d?.?nd/

Noun

legend (countable and uncountable, plural legends)

1. An unrealistic story depicting past events.
   1. A story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events.

      Synonym: myth

   2. A plausible story set in the historical past, but whose historicity is uncertain.

   3. A story in which a kernel of truth is embellished to an unlikely degree.

      Synonyms: myth, tall tale

   4. A fabricated backstory for a spy, with associated documents and records.

      Synonym: cover story

      • 1992, Ronald Kessler, Inside the CIA, 1994 Pocket Books edition, ?ISBN, page 115:

        If the documents are needed to establish "a light legend," meaning a superficial cover story, no steps are taken to make sure that if someone calls the college or motor vehicle department, the name on the document will be registered.

      • 2003, Rodney Carlisle, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Spies and Espionage, Alpha Books, ?ISBN, page 105:

        Sorge solidified his own position by returning to Germany and developing a new legend. He joined the Nazi Party […] .

      • 2005, Curtis Peebles, Twilight Warriors, Naval Institute Press, ?ISBN, page 25:

        Both the agent's legend and documents were intended to stand up against casual questions from Soviet citizens, such as during a job interview, or a routine police document check, such as were made at railway stations.

2. A person related to a legend or legends.
   1. A leading protagonist in a historical legend.

      Synonym: hero

   2. A person with legend-like qualities, such as extraordinary accomplishment.
      1. (Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, colloquial, slang) A cool, nice or helpful person, especially one who is male.

         Synonym: brick

3. A key to the symbols and color codes on a map, chart, etc.

   Synonyms: guide, key

4. (numismatics, heraldry) An inscription, motto, or title, especially one surrounding the field in a medal or coin, or placed upon a heraldic shield or beneath an engraving or illustration.

   Synonym: inscription

5. A musical composition set to a poetical story.
6. (naval) The design and specification of a vessel.
   • 1929, Journal of the American Society of Naval Engineers, Inc (page 304)

     The legend displacement on the basis then in use was 48,000 tons, the corresponding standard displacement as defined by the Washington Treaty being 47,540 tons.

   • 1976, Alan Raven, ?John Roberts, British Battleships of World War Two: The Development and Technical History of the Royal Navy's Battleships and Battlecruisers from 1911 to 1946 (page 63)

     The legend and sketch designs were submitted to the Board on 27th March 1916 and, after examining a model and the drawings, the Sea Lords generally favoured proposal 'B'; the extra weight involved being acceptable.

Derived terms

Related terms

• lege
• legendary

Translations

Verb

legend (third-person singular simple present legends, present participle legending, simple past and past participle legended)

1. (archaic, transitive) To tell or narrate; to recount.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Bishop Hall to this entry?)

Further reading

• legend in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• legend in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Dutch

Pronunciation

Participle

legend

1. present participle of legen

Declension

Anagrams

• gelden, gleden, legden

German

Verb

legend

1. present participle of legen

Polish

Noun

legend

1. genitive plural of legenda

Swedish

Etymology

From Medieval Latin legenda

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /le.?end/, [l?.???nd]

Noun

legend c

1. legend

Declension

References

legend in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)

Anagrams

• degeln

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French narratif.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?næ??t?v/
• (US, Mary–marry–merry distinction) IPA^(key): /?næ??t?v/
• (US, Mary–marry–merry merger) IPA^(key): /?n???t?v/
• Hyphenation: nar?ra?tive

Adjective

narrative (comparative more narrative, superlative most narrative)

1. Telling a story.
2. Overly talkative; garrulous.

   • But wise through time, and narrative with age.

3. Of or relating to narration.

Translations

Noun

narrative (countable and uncountable, plural narratives)

1. The systematic recitation of an event or series of events.
2. That which is narrated.
3. A representation of an event or story.
4. (creative writing) A manner of conveying a story, fictional or otherwise, in a body of work.

Derived terms

• antenarrative
• antinarrative
• grand narrative
• metanarrative
• narrative hook

Related terms

• narrate
• narration
• narrator

Translations

References

• narrative at OneLook Dictionary Search
• narrative in Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary, edited by The Keywords Project, Colin MacCabe, Holly Yanacek, 2018.
• narrative in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• veratrina

French

Adjective

narrative

1. feminine singular of narratif

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /narra?tive/, [nar.ra?t?i?.ve]

Adjective

narrative f pl

1. feminine plural of narrativo

Noun

narrative f pl

1. plural of narrativa

Anagrams

• antiverrà, arrivante, interrava, rientrava