dragon
/ˈdɹæɡən/ noun, proper noun
Forms dragons dwagon
- noun 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.
- noun 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.
- noun (obsolete) A very large snake; a python.
- noun Any of various agamid lizards of the genera Draco, Physignathus or Pogona.
- noun A Komodo dragon.
- noun A sea dragon.
- noun (astronomy, with definite article, often capitalized) The constellation Draco.
- noun (derogatory) A fierce and unpleasant woman. “She’s a bit of a dragon.”
- noun (slang) Synonym of drag queen.
- proper noun The fifth of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar.
- proper noun Synonym of Devil.
Synonyms
drake lindworm worm wyrm wyvern derg drag draggy dwaggy dragon lady harridan battle axe bitch brim brimstone cat cockatrice crow faggot fishwife firedrake tartar Draco flying dragon flying lizard
Etymology
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.
Alteration from drag queen.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A fabulous animal, generally represented as a monstrous winged serpent or lizard, with a crested head and enormous claws, and regarded as very powerful and ferocious.
- noun A fierce, violent person, esp. a woman. Johnson.
Etymology [F. dragon, L. draco, fr. Gr. dar to see), and so called from its terrible eyes. Cf. Drake a dragon, Dragoon.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “dragon”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details