ENGLISH
REFERENCE

saga

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈsɑɡə// UK //sˈɑːɡɐ// saga Archaic

n. a long and complicated story about a series of events. It can be a real story about a family or a fictional one about heroes.

n. a long, detailed narrative or series of events, often involving multiple generations or heroic exploits. While originally referring to medieval Icelandic prose, it now commonly describes any lengthy and complex sequence of incidents.


SIMPLE

The family saga lasted for over three hundred pages.

CONTEXTUAL

The legal saga finally ended after five years of court battles and dozens of hearings.

COMPLEX

Her latest novel is a sweeping multi-generational saga that explores the impact of the industrial revolution on a small rural community over the course of a century.

Usage

Commonly used metaphorically to describe long-running real-world situations, such as legal or political disputes.

© 2026 English Reference