saga
UK[ˈsɑːɡə]US[ˈsɑːɡə]
n
a long, detailed story of connected events, especially one telling the history of a family over several generations.
n
a long series of events or adventures, especially when involving difficulties or complicated details.
Etymology
the word 'saga' entered english in the early 18th century directly from old norse, where it meant 'narrative' or 'story'. in old norse, it is related to the verb 'segja', meaning 'to say'. this norse term can be traced back to proto-germanic sagjaną ('to say'), and ultimately to the proto-indo-european root sekʷ- ('to say, to tell'). the modern english meaning retains the core sense of a narrative but has specialized to denote a long, sweeping, and often heroic or multi-generational tale, reflecting the literary genre of the icelandic sagas from which the term was borrowed.
Analysis
the word is a simplex loanword from old norse. it does not have separable morphemes within its modern english spelling.
Examples
she spent years researching her family's saga, tracing their journey across three continents.
the saga of the company's rise and fall is a classic case study in business schools.
after a long saga involving lost luggage and missed flights, we finally arrived at our destination.