lego

IPA/ˈleɡ.əʊ/
KK[lˈɛɡo]IPA/ˈleɡ.oʊ/

lego — noun

  • legosingular
  • legosplural

1. a well-known building toy for children that uses tiny plastic bricks which snap

1.nounA2
Definition

a well-known building toy for children that uses tiny plastic bricks which snap together, allowing you to construct all kinds of things like vehicles, buildings, animals, and more

Example

Nkechi spent the whole afternoon building a castle out of Lego with her little brother.

uncountable: 'out of Lego'

The children's playroom was filled with colourful Lego sets, towers, and half-finished spaceships.

collocation: Lego sets

Common collocations
  • Lego set
  • Lego brick
  • Lego piece
  • build with Lego
  • made of Lego
  • a box of Lego
  • a collection of Lego
Synonyms
  • building blocks

    generic term for any stackable children's bricks, not specific to the Lego brand

  • construction toy

    broader category that includes Lego as well as other snap-together systems

Usage Note

Lego is a registered trademark and is normally capitalised. It is most commonly used as an uncountable noun (a box of Lego, some Lego). Avoid using it as a generic term for any plastic building brick — use building blocks or construction bricks for non-Lego products.

Common Mistakes

I bought a lego for my son.
I bought a Lego set for my son.
As a trademark, Lego is not a countable noun for an individual item; use Lego set instead.
These are generic legos from a different brand.
These are generic building blocks from a different brand.
Lego is a specific brand; do not use it as a generic term for any plastic brick.

2. an individual plastic brick or connecting part that belongs to a Lego building s

2.nounA2
Definition

an individual plastic brick or connecting part that belongs to a Lego building set

Example

A single red Lego was lying on the carpet near the sofa.

countable: 'a single red Lego'

Hyun sorted the Legos by colour — red ones in one box, blue ones in another.

plural form: Legos

Common collocations
  • a Lego
  • Legos
  • Lego brick
  • Lego piece
  • step on a Lego
  • sort Legos
  • snap Legos together
Synonyms
  • Lego brick

    more formal way to refer to an individual piece; avoids confusion with the toy system

  • Lego piece

    similar to Lego brick; preferred in British English for a single element

Usage Note

In informal American English, a Lego (countable) and Legos (plural) are widely used. In British English and more formal writing, a piece of Lego or Lego bricks / Lego pieces are preferred instead.

Common Mistakes

I stepped on a Lego piece.' (redundant)
I stepped on a Lego.
When referring to a single brick, a Lego alone is sufficient in informal contexts.
There are Legos all over the floor.' (informal, AmE — acceptable in casual speech)
There are Lego pieces all over the floor.' (more formal or BrE)

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Lego is a specific trademarked brand, while building blocks is a broad generic term that can refer to any stackable wooden or plastic bricks — including traditional wooden cubes that do not snap together. Construction bricks is a newer generic term for interlocking plastic bricks made by various brands; these are often physically compatible with Lego pieces but are not made by the Lego company. Snap-together toys is the widest category, covering any toy whose parts click or press into place, such as Mega Bloks or K'Nex. For example: 'My child plays with both Lego and generic building blocks.' and 'Some cheap construction bricks do not fit Lego pieces as snugly.'

Lego ↗building blocksconstruction brickssnap-together toys

Common collocations

Nouns

  • Lego set
  • Lego brick
  • Lego piece
  • Lego model
  • Lego kit

Phrases

  • a box of Lego
  • a piece of Lego
  • a set of Lego
  • build with Lego

Prepositions

  • of Lego
  • out of Lego
  • with Lego

Etymology

DanishLatinEnglish

The name Lego comes from the Danish phrase leg godt, meaning 'play well'. The company was founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Christiansen in Billund, Denmark. The now-famous plastic interlocking brick was introduced in 1958 and the name Lego was quietly formed from the Danish words — it was later realised that Lego also means 'I put together' or 'I assemble' in Latin, which perfectly fits the product.