dragon

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Quotations 1.3.2 Derived terms 1.3.3 Related terms 1.3.4 Synonyms 1.3.5 Translations 1.3.6 See also 2 Dutch 2.1 Etymology 1 2.1.1 Noun 2.1.1.1 Synonyms 2.2 Etymology 2 2.2.1 Noun 2.2.1.1 Synonyms 3 French 3.1 Etymology 3.2 Noun 3.2.1 Derived terms 4 Middle English 4.1 Alternative spellings 4.2 Noun 5 Old Welsh 5.1 Noun 5.1.1 Related terms 6 Swedish 6.1 Noun

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From Old French dragon, from Latin dracō, from Ancient Greek δράκων (drakōn), “‘a serpent of huge size, a python, a dragon’”), probably from δρακεῖν (drakein), aorist active infinitive of δέρκομαι (derkomai), “‘I see clearly’”).

[edit] Pronunciation

Wikipedia

• enPR: drăg'ən, IPA: /ˈdrægən/, SAMPA: /"dr{g@n/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
• Rhymes: -ægən

[edit] Noun

dragon (plural dragons)

1. A mythical, serpentine or reptilian creature.
   1. (Western) A gigantic beast, typically reptilian with leathery bat-like wings, lion-like claws, scaly skin and a serpent-like tail, often a monster with fiery breath.
      • c.1900 — Edith Nesbit, The Last of the Dragons

        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.

   2. (Eastern) A large, snake-like lizard with the eyes of a hare, the horns of a stag and the claws of a tiger, usually benefic
      • 1913 — Sax Rohmer, The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu, ch XIII

        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.

2. (zoology) Certain animal species which resemble a dragon in appearance:
   1. (obsolete) A very large snake; a python.
   2. A lizard of the genus Draco.
   3. The Komodo dragon.
3. (astronomy) The constellation Draco.
   • 1605 — William Shakespeare, King Lear, i 2

     My father compounded with my mother vnder the Dragons taile, and my nativity was vnder Vrsa Maior.

4. (pejorative) An unpleasant woman; a harridan.

   She’s a bit of a dragon.

5. (absolute use, often capitalized: "the Dragon") The nickname for the Chinese empire and People's Republic of China

   Napoleon already warned for the awakening of the Dragon.

6. (figuratively) Something very formidable or dangerous.

[edit] Quotations

• For examples of the usage of this term see the citations page.

[edit] Derived terms

bearded dragon Chinese dragon dragon beam dragon boat dragon boat festival dragoness dragonet dragonfish dragonfly dragon fruit dragonhead dragonish

dragon lady dragon's blood dragonslayer dragon tie dragon tree dragon worm feed the dragon grand dragon komodo dragon leafy sea dragon reluctant dragon snapdragon

[edit] Related terms

• draconine
• draco
• dracula
• drake
• dragoon

[edit] Synonyms

• (legendary creature): drake, monster, serpent, wyrm, wyvern, lindworm
• (unpleasant woman): battle-axe, bitch, harridan, shrew, termagant, virago

[edit] Translations

[edit] See also

• basilisk
• serpent
• wyvern
• wurm
• Saint George
• Saint Patrick

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[edit] Dutch

[edit] Etymology 1

From Arabic

[edit] Noun

dragon m. (no plural, diminutive dragonje)

1. The edible Mediterranean herb Artemisia dracunculus, used as a salad spice
2. The plant Erysimum cheiranthoides

[edit] Synonyms

• (second plant) steenraket

[edit] Etymology 2

French (cfr. infra)

[edit] Noun

dragon m. (no plural, diminutive dragonje)

1. A (French) dragoon

[edit] Synonyms

• dragonder m.

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[edit] French

[edit] Etymology

From Latin draco

[edit] Noun

dragon m. (plural dragons; feminine dragonne, plural dragonnes)

1. A dragon, creature or person
2. A dragoon

[edit] Derived terms

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[edit] Middle English

[edit] Alternative spellings

• dragun

[edit] Noun

dragon

1. A dragon.
   • 1382 — Wyclif's Bible, Daniel 14:26

     Therfor Daniel took pitch, and talow, and heeris, and sethide togidere; and he made gobetis, and yaf in to the mouth of the dragun; and the dragun was al to-brokun.

   • 1380-1399 — Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, The Parson's Tale

     For God seith thus by Moyses: they shul been wasted with hunger, and the briddes of helle shul devouren hem with bitter deeth, and the galle of the dragon shal been hire drynke, and the venym of the dragon hire morsels.

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[edit] Old Welsh

[edit] Noun

dragon

1. A commander, war leader

[edit] Related terms

• pendragon m.

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[edit] Swedish

[edit] Noun

Inflection for dragon	Singular		Plural
common	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	dragon	dragonen	dragoner	dragonerna
Genitive	dragons	dragonens	dragoners	dragonernas

dragon c.

1. The perennial herb tarragon
2. The leaves of that plant, used as seasoning