dragon

/ˈdrægən/

/ˈdrægən/

Other forms: dragons

A dragon is a fire-breathing mythological animal, a winged, flying, scaly creature. In many European legends, brave knights battle evil dragons.

The dragon shows up in the mythologies of many different cultures, usually breathing fire and resembling a giant reptile or serpent with wings. The monster in the ancient Mesopotamian poem the "Epic of Gilgamesh" is often called a dragon, and the Old English story "Beowulf" also features a fearsome dragon. In several Asian cultures, dragons represent wisdom, nature, and longevity. The Greek root is drakon, "serpent" or "giant seafish."

Definitions of dragon

1. noun

   a creature of Teutonic mythology; usually represented as breathing fire and having a reptilian body and sometimes wings
   synonyms: firedrake

   examples:

   Fafnir

   (Norse mythology) the Norse dragon that guarded a treasure and was slain by Sigurd

   types:

   wivern, wyvern

   a fire-breathing dragon used in medieval heraldry; had the head of a dragon and the tail of a snake and a body with wings and two legs

   type of:

   mythical creature, mythical monster

   a monster renowned in folklore and myth
2. noun

   any of several small tropical Asian lizards capable of gliding by spreading winglike membranes on each side of the body
   synonyms: flying dragon, flying lizard

   type of:

   agamid, agamid lizard

   a lizard of the family Agamidae
3. noun

   a fiercely vigilant and unpleasant woman
   synonyms: tartar

   type of:

   disagreeable woman, unpleasant woman

   a woman who is an unpleasant person