dragon English · revision 5426

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1220|origins=grc δράκων}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈdræɡ.ən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|dragoun|alt=dragun, dragoun]], [[bor|fro|dragon]] and directly from [[la|dracō|t=huge serpent, dragon]], accusative dracōnem,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) from [[grc|δράκων|tr=drákōn|t=serpent, giant seafish]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) apparently from drak-, the strong aorist stem of [[m|grc|δέρκομαι|tr=dérkomai|t=to see clearly]],^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from [[ine-pro|*derk-|t=to see]].^(Etymonline) It may have meant “the one with the deadly glance”.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) It is related to [[drake]] “dragon” and [[dragoon]].^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A huge serpent or snake: about 1220 in the OED.^(OED 1989)^(Cresswell 2021) The mythical monster, usually winged and breathing fire, is from before 1225 in the OED, about 1250 in Barnhart.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In early texts it can be hard to tell the real large snake, known then only from report, from the mythical monster.^(Cresswell 2021) Before dragon, the English word for the monster was [[drake]] or firedrake, from the Germanic form of Latin dracō.^(Cresswell 2021)^(Etymonline) In the Bible it translated Hebrew tannin “sea monster”.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Satan was called the dragon from 1340,^(OED 1989) and a fierce or fiendish person from 1508.^(OED 1989) ''Dragonfly'' is from 1626, in Francis Bacon.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1220 – a huge serpent.^(OED 1989)

+ * a. 1225 – the mythical monster.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1340 – Satan.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1508 – a fierce person.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1626 – ''dragonfly''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A mythical monster like a huge [[reptile]], with wings and claws, often breathing fire.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(informal)'' A fierce or strict person, especially a woman.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A large [[lizard]], such as the [[Komodo dragon]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[dragonish]]

+ * [[dragonlike]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[draco]]

+ * [[draconic]]

+ * [[dragonet]]

+ * [[dragoon]]

+ * [[drake]]

+ * [[dragonfly]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}