Definition

1. Noun:
   • A soldier who is a member of a legion: Specifically, a member of a large military unit, most famously associated with the French Foreign Legion, a military service branch of the French Army open to foreign recruits.
   • A member of the American Legion: A member of a major U.S. organization of war veterans, founded in 1919.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The novel tells the story of a French legionnaire stationed in North Africa.
  • My grandfather, a proud legionnaire, attends the American Legion meetings every month.

Advanced Usage

• "Legionnaire's disease": A severe form of pneumonia caused by the bacterium . The name originates from an outbreak at an American Legion convention in 1976.
  • The hotel was temporarily closed after a case of Legionnaire's disease was reported.

Variants and Related Words

• Legion (n): A large military force; a vast number of people or things.
  • The Roman legion was a formidable fighting unit.
• Legionary (n): A soldier in a Roman legion; can be synonymous with 'legionnaire' in a historical context.
  • The legionary marched for days across the desert.

Synonyms

• Soldier: A person who serves in an army.
• Trooper: A soldier in a cavalry or armored unit; often used generally for a soldier.
• Veteran: A person who has served in the military, especially in wartime.

Related Phrases

• Foreign Legionnaire: Specifically denotes a member of the French Foreign Legion.
  • He spent five years as a foreign legionnaire.

Related Idioms

Noun

1. a soldier who is a member of a legion (especially the French Foreign Legion)
2. a member of the American Legion