dragon

noun

drag·​on ˈdra-gən 

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

Dragon : draco

5

: something or someone formidable or baneful

dragonish

ˈdra-gə-nish 

adjective

Examples of dragon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adira in white jammies with a striped collar, cuddled with a blue dragon with rainbow scales, and a big brown Squishmellow. —Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026

The island’s iconic dragon blood trees, named after the tree's odd shape and red sap, draw visitors from around the world. —Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 6 Jan. 2026

Visitors can expect to see dramatic cliffs, pristine white sand beaches and exotic flora like the dragon’s blood tree. —Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026

Komodo National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its rugged landscapes, pristine beaches and an endangered lizard, the Komodo dragon. —CBS News, 4 Jan. 2026

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

Phrases Containing dragon

• dragon fruit
• dragon lady
• dragon's blood
• dragon's teeth
• green dragon
• Komodo dragon

Rhymes for dragon

• agone
• lagan
• waggon
• wagon
• anlagen
• bandwagon
• snapdragon

Kids Definition

dragon

noun

drag·​on ˈdrag-ən 

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