legendlegend

Legend comes from Middle English legende, from Old French legende, from Medieval Latin legenda, from Latin legendus ‘to be read’, from legō.

1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElegō¹‘to read’
2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElegendus¹‘to be read’
3. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500legenda¹‘legend; saint’s life’
4. Old Frenchc. 842–1400legende¹
5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500legende¹‘a hagiography’
6. Englishearliest quotation 1597legend¹

1. ¹ Wiktionary, English legend
2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1597, Joseph Hall, (please specify the page): “Nor ladie's wanton love , nor wand'ring knight, Legend…”.