dragon en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- [ˈdɹ̝eɪ̯ɡən] ~ [ˈdɹeɪ̯ɡn̩] Upper Midwestern US, Northwestern US, Canada
- [d̠ɹ̠˔ʷeɪ̯ɡən] ~ [d̠ɹ̠˔ʷeɪ̯ɡn̩] Upper Midwestern US, Northwestern US, Canada
- /ˈdɹeɪ̯ɡən/ Upper Midwestern US, Northwestern US, Canada
- (US) audio
- /ˈdɹæɡən/
- [d̠ɹ̠˔ʷæɡən] ~ [d̠ɹ̠˔ʷæɡn̩]
- [ˈdɹ̝ʷæɡən] ~ [ˈdɹ̝ʷæɡn̩]
- (Canada) audio
- audio North Carolina
- audio Queensland
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *derḱ-der. Proto-Hellenic *dérkomai Ancient Greek δέρκομαι (dérkomai) Ancient Greek δράκων (drákōn)der. Latin dracōslbor. Old French dragonbor. Middle English dragoun English dragon From Middle English dragoun, borrowed from Old French dragon, from Latin dracō(n), from Ancient Greek δράκων (drákōn, “a serpent of huge size, a python, a dragon”), probably from δέρκομαι (dérkomai, “to see clearly”). Displaced Old English wyrm, whence modern worm. Mostly displaced Old English draca (whence modern drake)—from the same Latin source, as are Draco, Dracon, dracone, and dragoon.
Meanings
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A mythical reptilian or serpentine creature. ▸ In European mythologies, a gigantic beast, typically reptilian with leathery bat-like wings, lion-like claws, scaly skin and a lizard-like body, often a monster with fiery breath.
Medea for the loue of Iaſon, taught him how to tame the fire breathing braſſ feeted Bulls, and kill the mighty dragon that kept the golden fleece[.]
1632, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, Oxford: Henry Cryps, page 548:Before daylight, when the dragon flew home to sleep, he had burned up the hall and even the throne of the Geatish king.
1961, Norma Lorre Goodrich, “Beowulf”, in The Medieval Myths, New York: The New American Library, page 41:But as every well-brought-up prince was expected to kill a dragon, and rescue a princess, the dragons grew fewer and fewer till it was often quite hard for a princess to find a dragon to be rescued from.
c. 1900, Edith Nesbit, The Last of the Dragons:They pitched the dragon / over the cliff-top, let tide's flow / and backwash take the treasure-minder.
1999, Seamus Heaney, Beowulf, London: Faber and Faber, page 98:
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A mythical reptilian or serpentine creature. ▸ In Eastern Asian mythologies, a large, snake-like monster with the eyes of a hare, the horns of a stag and the claws of a tiger, usually beneficent.
These tapestries were magnificently figured with golden dragons; and as the serpentine bodies gleamed and shimmered in the increasing radiance, each dragon, I thought, intertwined its glittering coils more closely with those of another.
1913, Sax Rohmer, chapter XIII, in The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu:
- (obsolete) An animal of various species that resemble a dragon in appearance: ▸ A very large snake; a python.
- An animal of various species that resemble a dragon in appearance: ▸ Any of various agamid lizards of the genera Draco, Physignathus or Pogona.
- An animal of various species that resemble a dragon in appearance: ▸ A Komodo dragon.
- An animal of various species that resemble a dragon in appearance: ▸ A sea dragon.
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(capitalized, often, with-definite-article) The constellation Draco.
My father compounded with my mother vnder the Dragons taile, and my nativity was vnder Vrsa Maior.
c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
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(derogatory) A fierce and unpleasant woman.
She’s a bit of a dragon.
- (UK, derogatory, rare, slang) An unattractive woman.
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(capitalized, often, with-definite-article) The (historical) Chinese empire or the People's Republic of China.
Napoleon already warned of the awakening of the Dragon.
- (figuratively) Something very formidable or dangerous.
- A class of playing tiles consisting of three types: white dragons, green dragons, and red dragons.
- A luminous exhalation from marshy ground, seeming to move through the air like a winged serpent.
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(historical) A type of musket with a short, large-calibre barrel with a flared muzzle, often hooked to a swivel attached to a soldier's belt.
our dragoons were so denominated because they were armed with dragons, that is, with short muskets, which spouted fire like dragons, and had the head of a dragon wrought upon their muzzle
1886, Charles Gould, Mythical Monsters:
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(rare) A background process similar to a daemon.
Many of the postmaster functions are actually handled by computer software such as dragons and mailer daemons.
2018, J. K. Petersen, Fiber Optics Illustrated Dictionary:Daemons and Dragons. The print spooler is an example of a DAEMON, a program that executes in the background and provides a service […] Strictly speaking, a dragon is a daemon that is not invoked explicitly but is always there, waiting in the background […]
1995, Harley Hahn, The UNIX Companion, page 420:
- A variety of carrier pigeon.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| dragons | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| dwagon | alternative, childish, pronunciation-spelling | lexicographic |
Deriveds
dragon boating · dragonskin · reluctant dragon · dragonroot · sea dragon · dragonstone · ice dragon boating · dragonbone · green dragon · swampdragon · blue dragon · Stanford dragon · dragonhood · dragonish · dragonlike · dragon's tail · dragon curve · firedragon · dwaggy · dragon lady · dragon slug · Dutch angel dragon · river-dragon · Land of the Dragon · dragonking · dragoness · dragonology · dragon flag · dragon boat · dragonproof · dragontail · drain the dragon · Dragon Boat Festival · dragon beam · Dragon Li · dragonling · feed the dragon · dragon-tail plant · Dragon Man · undragoned · Komodo dragon · Pilbara dragon · dragonise · dragon tree · earless dragon · snowdragon · fudge dragon · dragonfish · dragonwise · dragonspeak · dragonmaster · dragonborn · dragon roll · dragon man · luck dragon · dragonewt · dragonslayer · yellow dragon disease · dragon's beard candy · tickle the dragon's tail · grand dragon · puff the magic dragon · sailfin dragon) · dragon's blood · flying dragon · jacky dragon · Dragon's Triangle · dragon gate · dragonkind · sleeping dragon · dragonlet · Land of the Red Dragon · dragonize · water dragon · adragonist · dragonly · dragonlore · dragonkin · dragonsbreath · northern water dragon · dragon arum · snapdragon · dragony · dragonwort · dragonrider · dragon fruit · dragonologist · dragon's teeth · frilled dragon · dragon kiln · dragon tongue bean · Dragon Book · dragon dance · dragondom · Azure Dragon · dragonbreath · pseudodragon · dragonhide · Chinese dragon · dragonfly · accelerated dragon · drag · bearded dragon · paper dragon · dragonhead · dragon year · mud dragon · scrambling dragon · draggy · dragonfire · dragonlength · shadowdragon · dragon worm · dragonsome · leafy sea dragon · dragonesque · dragon snake · dragon lizard · black dragon · dragonless · twindragon · dragonflame · ice dragon boat · chase the dragon · dragon tie · gum dragon · dragon whisperer · dragonback · dragonlord · dragonism · dragon's wort · dragon's head
Descendants
드래건 · dragoni · tūrāikōn · drekoni · ドラゴン · tarākoni · டிராகன் · 드래곤 · ड्रॅगन · dírágónì
Hypernyms
serpent · serpent · monster · monster
Relateds
draconine · dragonette · Draco · drake · dragoon · draconic · draco · Dracula · dracunculus · dragonet · dracontine · draconian
Synonyms
harpy · vixen · wyvern · bitch · wyrm · drake · derg · drake · dragon lady · cockatrice · dragoon · draggy · hellcat · brimstone · nag · virago · dwaggy · nudnik · lindworm · scold · dwaggy · worm · shrew · jade · drag · worm · termagant · drag · fishwife · cat · dragon · battle axe · faggot · crow · lindworm · wyvern · harridan · brim · witch · wyrm · she-devil · derg · harridan · draggy
Translations (281)
tt аждаһа (mythical creature) · enm dragoun (mythical creature) · dz འབྲུག (mythical creature) · es dragón (mythical creature) · et lendmadu (mythical creature) · af draak (mythical creature) · ru змей (mythical creature) · tg аждаҳо (mythical creature) · ab аблаҩа (mythical creature) · av аздагьо (mythical creature) · kl uumasorujuk (mythical creature) · fr dragon (mythical creature) · kac baren (mythical creature) · pal 𐭠𐭰 (mythical creature) · mn ᠯᠤᠤ (mythical creature) · pal 𐭠𐭰𐭩𐭣𐭤𐭠𐭪𐭩 (mythical creature) · sh аждаха (mythical creature) · eo drako (mythical creature) · nrf dragon (mythical creature) · lt drakonas (mythical creature) · nl draak (pejorative: unpleasant woman) · gl bicha (mythical creature) · ky улуу (mythical creature) · oc dragon (mythical creature) · hu sárkány (mythical creature) · it dragone (mythical creature) · ota اژدرها (mythical creature) · lv drakons (mythical creature) · uz ajdar (mythical creature) · nv tłʼiishtsoh (mythical creature) · ru меге́ра (pejorative: unpleasant woman) · dar аждагьа (mythical creature) · el δράκαινα (pejorative: unpleasant woman) · mk а́ждер (mythical creature) · yai аҷдаҳор (mythical creature) · ba аждаһа (mythical creature) · an dragón (mythical creature) · io drako (mythical creature) · ps ښامار (mythical creature) · ug ئەجدىھا (mythical creature) · mk ла́мја (pejorative: unpleasant woman) · uk смок (mythical creature) · is dreki (mythical creature) · ta டிராகன் (mythical creature) · ltg pyučs (mythical creature) · ca drac (mythical creature) · de Drache (pejorative: unpleasant woman) · ga dragan (mythical creature) · chr ᎤᎦᏖᎾ (mythical creature) · et lohe (mythical creature) · kl aassissuaq (mythical creature) · ps اژدر (mythical creature) · is lindormur (mythical creature) · ota ثعبان (mythical creature) · kk аждаһа (mythical creature) · shn ၼၵႃး (mythical creature) · sl zmaj (mythical creature) · izh mato (mythical creature) · ro balaur (mythical creature) · zh 龍 /龙 (mythical creature) · arc תנינא (mythical creature) · yo dírágónì (mythical creature) · sh zmajica (mythical creature) · tr dragon (mythical creature) · xsr འབྲུག (mythical creature) · mtq rồng (mythical creature) · la draco (mythical creature) · lo ມັງກອນ (mythical creature) · ar تِنِّين (mythical creature) · pl smok (mythical creature) · cu ⱄⰿⱁⰽⱏ (mythical creature) · hy վիշապ (mythical creature) · cu смокъ (mythical creature) · be змей (mythical creature) · vo dlak (mythical creature) · id naga (mythical creature) · pdt Droak (mythical creature) · mi tarākona (mythical creature) · ltg pyukuļs (mythical creature) · be драко́н (mythical creature) · ru смок (mythical creature) · uby чыгьыблы (mythical creature) · hi अजदहा (mythical creature) · uga 𐎚𐎐𐎐 (mythical creature) · mnc ᠮᡠᡩᡠ᠋ᡵᡳ (mythical creature) · uk змій (mythical creature) · be смок (mythical creature) · sa नाग (mythical creature) · sw dragoni (mythical creature) · tk ajdarha (mythical creature) · th นาค (mythical creature) · tr büke (mythical creature) · sh аждаја (mythical creature) · goh trahho (mythical creature) · ka გველეშაპი (mythical creature) · ovd dratji (mythical creature) · ja 竜 (mythical creature) · fur dragon (mythical creature) · ga dragún (mythical creature) · lo ນາກ (mythical creature) · ce саьрмик (mythical creature) · ky ажыдаар (mythical creature) · ast cuélebre (mythical creature) · be цмок (mythical creature) · fi lohikäärme (nickname for the Chinese empire and the People's Republic of China) · pl smoczyca (pejorative: unpleasant woman) · kmr ejdeha (mythical creature) · it drago (mythical creature) · vec dragon (mythical creature) · hsb zmij (mythical creature) · el δράκαινα (mythical creature) · pt dragão (pejorative: unpleasant woman) · sh змај (mythical creature) · ro dragon (mythical creature) · nl de Draak (nickname for the Chinese empire and the People's Republic of China) · mk змеј (mythical creature) · jje 용 (mythical creature) · ae 𐬀𐬲𐬌 (mythical creature) · bg змей (mythical creature) · uz ajdahor (mythical creature) · sq kuçedër (mythical creature) · mk карако́нџула (pejorative: unpleasant woman) · bn আজদাহা (mythical creature) · uk драко́н (mythical creature) · fi huuhkaja (pejorative: unpleasant woman) · fy draak (mythical creature) · vo drak (mythical creature) · ko 용 (mythical creature) · ae 𐬀𐬲𐬌⸱𐬛𐬀𐬵𐬁𐬐𐬀 (mythical creature) · nn drake (mythical creature) · tyv улу (mythical creature) · sh змајеви (mythical creature) · kl kuukkooriaasarsuaq (mythical creature) · nl draak (mythical creature) · tg аждар (mythical creature) · zh лун (mythical creature) · yai аждаҳор (mythical creature) · hi अजदाह (mythical creature) · mk ла́мја (mythical creature) · mi mokoahi (mythical creature) · th อุรค (mythical creature) · cv аҫтаха (mythical creature) · ru сте́рва (pejorative: unpleasant woman) · fa اِژْدِهَا (mythical creature) · yi פֿיפּערנאָטער (mythical creature) · vi rồng (mythical creature) · he רַהַב (mythical creature) · hi अज़दहा (mythical creature) · tr suban (mythical creature) · fa اَژْدَهَا (mythical creature) · sh zmajevi (mythical creature) · ga ollphéist (mythical creature) · ab агәылшьаԥ (mythical creature) · ro zmeu (mythical creature) · bcl dragon (mythical creature) · alt улуу (mythical creature) · ang draca (mythical creature) · et draakon (mythical creature) · km ឧរគ (mythical creature) · sh ala (mythical creature) · ps اژدهار (mythical creature) · za lungz (mythical creature) · ka დრაკონი (mythical creature) · uk змії́ха (mythical creature) · yi דראַקאָן (mythical creature) · ms naga (mythical creature) · ota غول (mythical creature) · tk lu (mythical creature) · sv lindorm (mythical creature) · nv naʼashǫ́ʼiitsoh (mythical creature) · br erevent (mythical creature) · gd nathair-sgiathach (mythical creature) · tl dragon (mythical creature) · el δράκος (mythical creature) · sh zmaj (mythical creature) · gl serpe (mythical creature) · tt ләү (mythical creature) · az əjdəha (mythical creature) · ug ئەجدىھار (mythical creature) · cop ⲇⲣⲁⲕⲱⲛ (mythical creature) · xpr 𐫀𐫋𐫅𐫍𐫀𐫃 (mythical creature) · orv смокъ (mythical creature) · nl lintworm (mythical creature) · ur اَزْدَہا (mythical creature) · km នាគ (nickname for the Chinese empire and the People's Republic of China) · nl draak (figuratively: something very formidable or dangerous) · sk šarkan (mythical creature) · ba дракон (mythical creature) · ko 미르 (mythical creature) · sv skräcködla (pejorative: unpleasant woman) · sh aždaha (mythical creature) · bo འབྲུག (mythical creature) · el δράκοντας (mythical creature) · eu herensuge (mythical creature) · my နဂါး (mythical creature) · gl dragón (mythical creature) · de Drache (mythical creature) · enm drake (mythical creature) · dsb plon (mythical creature) · ko 룡 (mythical creature) · gv dragan (mythical creature) · dsb paliwaka (mythical creature) · km នាគ (mythical creature) · fo dreki (mythical creature) · mr ड्रॅगन (mythical creature) · he דְּרָקוֹן (mythical creature) · fa اَژْدَر (mythical creature) · cs zmok (mythical creature) · mk а́ждаја (mythical creature) · pt dragão (mythical creature) · rgn drêgh (mythical creature) · gld мудур (mythical creature) · cs saň (pejorative: unpleasant woman) · bg ажде́р (mythical creature) · nl dragonder (pejorative: unpleasant woman) · lez аждагьан (mythical creature) · ar تِنِّين (mythical creature) · sw joka (mythical creature) · gv dragane (mythical creature) · mk дра́кон (mythical creature) · ru змий (mythical creature) · ca víbria (mythical creature) · rm dragun (mythical creature) · ps اژدها (mythical creature) · et lohemadu (mythical creature) · de Drache (nickname for the Chinese empire and the People's Republic of China) · tr ejder (mythical creature) · sh змајица (mythical creature) · bg драко́н (mythical creature) · niu tarākoni (mythical creature) · mr ड्रॅगन (nickname for the Chinese empire and the People's Republic of China) · cs drak (mythical creature) · rsk шаркань (mythical creature) · ru драко́н (mythical creature) · br aerouant (mythical creature) · crh ajderha (mythical creature) · grc δράκαινα (mythical creature) · da lindorm (mythical creature) · lb Draach (mythical creature) · jje 미리 (mythical creature) · non dreki (mythical creature) · cy draig (mythical creature) · sq dragoi (mythical creature) · fi lohikäärme (mythical creature) · sco Draigon (mythical creature) · xwo ᠯᡇᡇ᠋ (mythical creature) · sk zmok (mythical creature) · mk а́ждаја (pejorative: unpleasant woman) · nb drake (mythical creature) · fo lindormur (mythical creature) · lt slibinas (mythical creature) · hy դրակոն (mythical creature) · es guiverno (mythical creature) · mt dragun (mythical creature) · mk а́ла (mythical creature) · nb drage (mythical creature) · ddo аждагь (mythical creature) · ja ドラゴン (mythical creature) · pi nāga (mythical creature) · scn dragu (mythical creature) · th มังกร (mythical creature) · lbe аждагьа (mythical creature) · yue 龍 /龙 (mythical creature) · sv drake (mythical creature) · kk айдаһар (mythical creature) · blt ꪩꪺꪉ (mythical creature) · grc δράκων (mythical creature) · da drage (mythical creature) · xal лу (mythical creature) · sh aždaja (mythical creature) · nog аздаа (mythical creature) · ur اَژْدَہا (mythical creature) · ru крокоди́л (pejorative: unpleasant woman) · lv pūķis (mythical creature) · sh aлa (mythical creature) · sa उरङ्ग (mythical creature) · tr ejderha (mythical creature) · sk drak (mythical creature) · pl żmij (mythical creature) · mn луу (mythical creature) · ckb ئهژدهها (mythical creature)