draconian

WOTD - 16 May 2009    

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /drəˈkəʊ.ni.ən/, /drækˈəʊ.ni.ən/, SAMPA: /dr@"k@U.ni.@n/, /dr{k"@U.ni.@n/
• (US) enPR: drə-kō'ni-ən, IPA: /drəˈkoʊ.ni.ən/, SAMPA: /dr@"koU.ni.@n/

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• Rhymes: -əʊniən

Etymology 1

From the Athenian lawmaker Draco, known for making harsh laws.

Adjective

draconian (comparative more draconian, superlative most draconian)

1. Very severe, oppressive or strict.

   The despot chose a draconian punishment.

   The Nazi regime was draconian.

   The mayor announced draconian budget cuts today.

Synonyms

• (very severe): cruel, hard, harsh, oppressive, rigid, strict, stringent

Translations

severe, oppressive or strict

Arabic: دراكونية (نسبة إلى قوانين دراكو اليونانية القديمة)، شديدة القسوة، صارمة. (ar) Armenian: դրակոնյան (hy) (drakonyan) Catalan: draconià (ca) Czech: drakonický (cs) Finnish: erittäin ankara, drakoninen (fi) French: draconien (fr) German: drakonisch (de)

Greek: δρακόντειος (el) (drakóntios) Hungarian: drákói (hu) Italian: draconiano (it) Macedonian: драконски (mk) (drákonski) m. Portuguese: draconiano (pt) Russian: драконовский (ru) (drakónovskij) Spanish: draconiano (es) Swedish: drakonisk (sv)

Etymology 2

From Latin draco (“dragon”)

Adjective

draconian (comparative more draconian, superlative most draconian)

1. (obsolete, except in fiction) Of or resembling a dragon
   • 2006, Steven Erikson, Deadhouse Gates, Book Two, ISBN 0765348799, page 384:

     The dragon came low to the earth. It defied every image of a draconian being Kulp had ever seen.

Synonyms

• (resembling a dragon): draconic, dragonlike

Translations

of or resembling a dragon

Macedonian: змејски (mk) (zméjski) m.

Anagrams

• Conradian