now-legendary
UK[ˌnaʊ ˈledʒ.ən.dri]US[ˌnaʊ ˈledʒ.ən.der.i]
adj
Having become famous or highly regarded in more recent times, often after the events being described.
Morpheme Breakdown
now
legendary
now
current
legendary
famous
Etymology
The compound adjective 'now-legendary' is a modern English formation that combines the temporal immediacy of the native English adverb 'now' with the classical weight of the adjective 'legendary'. The word 'legendary' itself originates from the Latin 'legenda', meaning "things to be read," which referred to narratives of saints' lives. Over time, it evolved to describe anyone or anything famous enough to be the subject of such stories. By prefixing it with 'now', the term creates a temporal paradox, highlighting that the fame is a recent development, retrospectively applied to past events or figures that have since achieved iconic status.
Analysis
Structure: now (current) + legendary (famous)
- now: From Old English 'nū', meaning "at the present time, currently." It functions as an adverb modifying the following adjective.
- legendary: From Medieval Latin 'legendarius', meaning "pertaining to legends." It functions as the core adjective meaning "remarkably famous."
Examples
The band's now-legendary performance at the festival is still talked about decades later.
She recounted the story of their now-legendary journey across the continent.
The company's now-legendary founder started the business in his garage.