dragon

noun

drag·​on ˈdra-gən How to pronounce dragon (audio)
1
archaic : a huge serpent
2
: a mythical animal usually represented as a monstrous winged and scaly serpent or saurian with a crested head and enormous claws
3
: a violent, combative, or very strict person
4
capitalized : draco
5
: something or someone formidable or baneful
dragonish adjective

Examples of dragon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web To get his beloved home back, Shrek is tasked by Farquaad to rescue Princess Fiona from a castle guarded by a fire-breathing dragon. Kimi Robinson, USA TODAY, 10 July 2024 There was even a 270-foot dragon takeover on top of the Empire State Building. Katie Campione, Deadline, 9 July 2024 For the dragon combat in the sky, Taylor’s producing partner Jane Wu mapped out the entire sequence through storyboards. Nick Romano, EW.com, 8 July 2024 The 2024 Astronomy Photographer of the Year shortlist, unveiled on Tuesday, includes an aurora shaped like a dragon, a total solar eclipse and a breathtaking shot of the Milky Way in a desert sky. Samuel Sanders, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for dragon 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dragon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French dragun, from Latin dracon-, draco serpent, dragon, from Greek drakōn serpent; akin to Old English torht bright, Greek derkesthai to see, look at

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dragon was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near dragon

Cite this Entry

“Dragon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dragon. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

dragon

noun
drag·​on ˈdrag-ən How to pronounce dragon (audio)
1
: an imaginary animal usually pictured as a huge serpent or lizard with wings and large claws
2
capitalized : draco
Etymology

Middle English dragon "dragon," from early French dragun (same meaning), from Latin dracon-, draco "serpent, dragon," from Greek drakōn "serpent" — related to rankle

More from Merriam-Webster on dragon

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