draconian

English

WOTD – 16 May 2009

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /dɹəˈkəʊ.ni.ən/, /dɹækˈəʊ.ni.ən/
• (US) enPR: drā-kō'ni-ən, drə-, IPA^(key): /dɹeɪˈkoʊ.ni.ən/, /dɹəˈkoʊ.ni.ən/

• Audio (US)

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• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -əʊniən

Etymology 1

From the Athenian lawmaker Draco, from Latin Dracō, from Ancient Greek Δράκων (Drákōn), known for making harsh laws. See δράκων (drákōn, “dragon”)

Adjective

draconian (comparative more draconian, superlative most draconian)

1. Very severe or strict.

   The Soviet regime was draconian.

   The mayor announced draconian budget cuts today.

   • 2009, Stuart Macintyre, A Concise History of Australia, page 125:

     The conflict in the countryside resulted in a far more draconian punishment. The Southern Cross flag flew over the camps of striking shearers, who in revenge for their victimisation burned grass, fences, buildings and even riverboats […]

   • 2020 April 8, Howard Johnston, “East-ended? When the ECML was at risk”, in Rail, page 65:

     Perhaps lessons had already been learned from the Draconian infrastructure cuts on the Waterloo-Exeter route.

Synonyms

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

Translations

severe, oppressive or strict

• Afrikaans: drakonies
• Arabic: شَدِيد الْقُسْوَة‎ (šadīd al-quswa)
• Armenian: դրակոնյան (hy) (drakonyan)
• Bulgarian: драконовски (drakonovski)
• Catalan: draconià (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 嚴苛的

• Czech: drakonický
• Dutch: draconisch (nl)
• Esperanto: drakona
• Finnish: erittäin ankara, drakoninen (fi)
• French: draconien (fr)

• German: drakonisch (de), drastisch (de), entschieden (de)
• Greek: δρακόντειος (el) (drakónteios)
• Hungarian: drákói (hu)
• Ido: drakonala (io)
• Italian: draconiano (it)
• Korean: 엄격하다 (ko) (eomgyeokhada) (嚴格하다 (ko))
• Macedonian: драконски m (drakonski)
• Portuguese: draconiano (pt)
• Russian: драко́новский (ru) (drakónovskij)
• Spanish: draconiano (es)
• Swedish: drakonisk (sv)

Etymology 2

From Latin dracō (“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, page 384:

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

   • 2009, Jacob Silvia, Qhoenix, page 73:

     A large sandwyrm (which isn't to be confused with a sandworm) popped its draconian head from the earth.

Synonyms

• (resembling a dragon): draconic, draconine, dragonish, dragonlike

Translations

of or resembling a dragon

• Finnish: lohikäärmemäinen
• Ido: drakala

• Macedonian: змејски m (zmejski)
• Russian: драко́ний (ru) (drakónij), драко́новский (ru) (drakónovskij)

Anagrams

• Conradian, Rinconada, noncardia