Dragonmaid's Sanctuary - Glossary of Draconic Terms

Glossary of Draconic Terms

The Following is a collection of terms, words, and things relating to dragons. If you have more information on any of the topics, please contact Dragonmaid. The red dividing bars act as a link back to the top of the Glossary, please use them for ease of use.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Amur: A river in Japan, also known as the Black Dragon River
Apep: (Egyptian Mythology) A dragon that looked like a serpent and lived in the dark. Everynight, the sun ran into Apep after a long day of shining. This dragon loathed the sun and tried to kill it, but the sun's helper, Seth, killed the dragon and saved the day - literally. But Apep does not stay dead, and Seth had to kill the dragon every night so the sun could rise every morning.
Apollo: (Greek Mythology) The god of of light, purity, and the sun, and patron of musicians and poets. He killed the dragon, Python, at Delphi.

Barong: (Indonesia) a theatrical dance form. Dancers go into a trance and act out a legendary battle between a dragon and a witch. The dancers turn knives on themselves, But the trance usually prevents them from feeling pain and prevents injury. Audience members rescue over-zealous performers, except when they too go into a trance.
Bel and the Dragon: an addition to the Old Testament Book of Daniel in Roman Catholic and Orthodox versions of the Bible. It is two 'stories' about the prophet Daniel. One tells how Daniel proved the worthlessness of the god Bel, the patron deity of Babylon, by revealing that food supposedly eaten by the god was actually eaten by priests. The other is about Daniel's miraculous delivery from a den of lions into which he had been thrown for killing a dragon revered by the Babylonians (GO Babylonians!!).
Beowulf: (Old English Myth) A mighty warrior who had the qualities most admired by the Anglo-Saxons --- strength, courage, loyalty, and generosity. Beowulf went to help a Danish king, whose royal hall was constantly raided by Grendel, a savage monster. Beowulf slew both Grendel his mother. In his final battle, Beowulf kills a fire-breathing dragon, but is fatally wounded in the act. (Go Dragon!!)
Big Mouth Dragons, The: (Ethiopian mythology) dragons that slept with their mouths open. Birds would fly close by, thinking that they were safe from the sleeping dragons. But the big mouth dragons could eat while they slept. These dragons could also make boats, four or five dragons would twist their bodies together to make a boat. With their heads up, out of the water, they could sail across seas and oceans.
Black Dragon, the: (Chinese Mythology) a Chinese emperor went to visit the Black Dragon near Peking. At the Black Dragon Pool, he called the mighty monster, and a black dragon about six inches (15cm) long swam up to him. The emperor laughed, but the dragon lifted one claw from the water, and it began to grow. It overshadowed the pool, then the temple and finally, the dragon's claw covered the mountaintops. The Emperor begged the creature to come down, proclaiming it to be the greates creature of all. The emperor pledged everything to the dragon, and it finally came down.

Cadmus: (Greek mythology) The son of Agenor, the king of Tyre. Went to retrieve his sister, Europa, from Zeus, but was told by an Oracle to follow a cow instead. Cadmus was supposed to build a great city in the exact place the cow lay down. A dragon was guarding the spot which was a sacred grove. The dragon killed his companions, so Cadmus slew the dragon. The goddess, Athena, told him to plant its teeth in the ground. Armed men sprang up immeadiately afterward, and fought with each other until only five were left standing. These men helped to build Cadmus's city, Thebes, and became the heads of the noble families. Cadmus had to do penance for killing the dragon, which was sacred to Ares (god of war). After eight years of servitude, Cadmus was crowned king of Thebes and was given Harmonia, the daughter of Ares and of Aphrodite (the goddess of love), as his wife. Cadmus and Harmonia were eventually turned into serpents.
Camouflage: some breeds of dragons have the ability to change colour like a chameleon. This can occur because of varying emotions (anger, happiness, love, etc) or by sheer will. These Dragons can also choose which colors to change into to match their exact background.
Cecrops: (Greek mythology) the founder of Athens and first king of Attica. Cecrops is represented as half human, half dragon. He was credited with inventing writing and establishing greek marriage and burial customs. (If you have any more infomation on Ceclops, please contact Dragonmaid
Cerberus: (Greek mythology) a three-headed, dragon-tailed hound that guarded both the entrance to the Underworld and Hades (god of the Underowld). The monster permitted all spirits to enter the Underwold, but would allow none to leave. Cerberus is sometimes depicted with fifty serpents for a mane.
Chimera: (Greek mythology) a fire-breathing monster that had the head of a lion, the body of a she-goat, and the tail and/or hind legs of a dragon. It terrorized Lycia, and was finally killed by the Greek hero Bellerophon
Chinese Calendar, The: A calendar which designates years in cycles of 60. Each year in each cycle are named after one of 12 animals. These animals, in the order they appear in the cycle, are the rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. The year 2000 in the Chinese calendar is the year of the dragon.

Draco: (astronomy) A northern constellation, part of which creates a semi-circle around the little Dipper; Dragon
Draconian: adj. harsh or severe
Dragon: see Dragon Meanings
Dragonet: a little or young dragon that has left its mother's lair. The dragon leaves its mother's lair and learns to hunt on its own although they may stay in their mother's territory. Dragonets range from 7 to 30ft (2 to 9m) in length.
Dragonfly***: The dragonfly can share the symbolism of immortality and regeneration with the Butterfly. It appears frequently in Japanese art and poetry and is the national emblem of Japan, 'The Island of the Dragonfly' (Akitsu-Shima). It also portrays irresponsibility and unreliability. In China it is summer, weakness and instability. For Amerindians it represents swiftness, activity and the whirlwind, but its shifting colours symbolise illusion, the essence of change; it is in touch with the elemental worlds.
Dragon Boat Festival, The: An Ancient Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. (If you know more about this, please contact Dragonmaid.)
Dragon's Blood: oleoresin, usually dark red in color, derived from the coat of the ripe fruit of several species of trees, particularly of the rattan palm, the Eucalyptus, and the dragon tree. Used in photoengraving; it is an acid-resistant powder that an engraver brushes over the sides of an image. It protects the image from being undercut by the acid used to engrave. Dragon's blood is sometimes used for coloring varnishes.
Dragon's Head, Tail: (astronomy) ascending or descending node of the moon or planet
Drake, Sir Francis: an explorer and military commander, was the first Englishman to sail around the world. Also famous for piracy and spanish ship looting. In 1572, Drake seized several Spanish ships off Panama, then landed on the coast. He captured the port of Nombre de Dios, looted the town, and ambushed a mule train carrying Peruvian silver. Because of this, the Spaniards called Drake El Draque, meaning The Dragon.
Drakensberg: Arguably the most important range of mountains in South Africa, it is more than 1,000 kilometres long. Dutch settlers saw the peaks as the "home of dragons" or "dragon mountains," which is the origin of the name Drakensberg (Draken - dragon, berg - mountain).

Earthquake: Around 130AD the Chinese scholar, Chang Heng, reasoned that waves must ripple through the earth from the source of an earthquake and so he constructed an elaborate bronze vessel to record the passage of these waves. Eight balls were carefully balanced in the mouths of eight dragons situated around the the vessel --- a passing wave from an earthquake would cause the balls to drop.
Eclipse: the darkening of a heavenly body; eg a solar eclipse occurs when the moon covers the sun from view from the earth. Ancient Chinese thought solar eclipses occurred when a dragon in the sky tried to swallow the sun.

Fafnir: Dragon from Norse Mythology, featured in the Volsunga Saga and the German Nibelungenlied. A giant who was corrupted by the cursed ring Andvarinaut. He slew his father for a horde, and turned into a dragon to guard it. The hero Sigurd, or Siegfried, slew him - accidently drank a droplet of his blood, and was hence able to undertand birdsong.
Fire: Often breathed by Dragons. This is considered to be a magical attribute, but for a scientific reason of this, read The Flight of Dragons by Peter Dickinson (Fitzhenry and Whiteside Ltd 1979.) Bush Fires are sometimes called dragons. Dragons are also attributed for the human discovery of fire. Persian literature reveals a story of the discovery of fire when a hero fought with a dragon. One of the stones that the hero used as a weapon missed the creature and struck a rock. Light sparked and human beings saw fire for the first time. (If you have information as to whether or not this dragon survived, please contact Dragonmaid.)
Fire Drake: a four-legged (western)cave Dragon, often with batlike wings.

George, Saint: the patron saint of England and a favourite saint of the crusaders during the Middle Ages. King Edward III of England chose Saint George to be patron saint of the Order of the Garter, the highest order of English knighthood. He is the hero of many legends in the Middle East and Europe. The best-known legend featuring St. George tells how he slew a dragon to whom a princess was being sacrificed. The inhabitants of the near-by city first attempted to appease the dragon by offering sheep, and then by the sacrifice of members of their community. Tradition states that he was a soldier in the Roman army that rose to high rank. He openly embraced Christianity, which led to his arrest and execution. (There's vengeance for you!)
Guy of Warwick, Sir: legendary hero of an English romance. He fell in love with the daughter of the Earl of Warwick, Felice. She at first refused to marry him. He then rescued a German princess, killed a dragon, and defeated the Muslims. Felice finally consented marriage. (If you have more information about the dragon that Guy slew, please contact Dragonmaid.)

Heraldry: the study of a system of symbols used to represent individuals, families, countries, and institutions like churches and universities. An emblem called a coat of arms, often known simply as arms, are the most basic form of Heraldry. Coats of arms were originally used on the shields of knights. Common symbols on coats of arms include Swords, Unicorns, Ships, Lions and Dragons.
Hercules: (Greek Mythology) also Heracles. Son of Zeus and Alcmene, wife of the Theban general Amphitryon. Hera (Zeus' wife) hated him, even though he was her namesake. As a baby, he killed two dragons/serpents who Hera had sent to murder him. He married the Theban Princess, Megara, but Hera sent him a fit of madness, and he killed Megara and their children. For penance (and to stop him from killing himself) he went into service of his cousin Eurystheus, king of Mycenae. Eurystheus, urged on by Hera, devised 12 difficult tasks or Labours for Herculaes as his penance. Hercules had to kill a Lion that could not be harmed by any weapon; Kill the Hydra, a sea monster or dragon, which grew two heads for everyone cut off; capture a Stag with Gold horns and bronze hooves; clean up 30 years of accumulated filth left by thousands of cattle in the Augean stables in one day; drive of a huge flock of Stymphalian (Man eating) birds; bring a mad bull to Eurytheus; bring back the man-eating mares of Diomedes, king of Thrace; obtain Hippolyta's (Queen of the Amazons) Girdle; capture the Oxen of the tree headed monster, Geryon; fetch the golden apples of the Hesperides (see Hesperides); and, finally, capture Cerberus (See Cerberus), the guardian of the Underworld.
Hesperides: (Greek mythology) the daughters of Hesperis (Evening) and Atlas. The Hesperides were nymphs who guarded the golden apples that Gaea (Earth) had given to the goddess Hera as a wedding gift when she married Zeus. A dragon that never slept helped the Hesperides guard the apples. The hero Hercules (see Hercules) had to steal these apples as one of his 12 labours.
Hordes: dragons love gold and silver, and love to hoard treasure. As dragons are not predisposed for manual work, they restrict themselves to acquiring jewels and such from human beings through robbery, looting, trade, barter, fraud, basically all ways that do not include manual labour. Dragons feel that they never has enough jewels and find it hard to voluntarily part with any their treasures. They keep treasure in huge chambers, and possesively guard it, often at the expense of their lives

Hydra

(Greek Mythology) a giant dragon/serpent, with nine or more heads. It had one immortal head, and for every single head chopped off, two would grow in its place. The Hero, Heracles (See Hercules) killed it by scorching each bleeding neck-stump before other heads could grow back. He then buried the immortal head under a great rock, and poisoned his arrows or spears with the Hydra's blood. It is said that it now haunts the marshes of Lerna, near Argos.

Ishtar Gate, the: was located near the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (which are one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World). The gate featured lions and dragons in brightly colored glazed brick. (If you have more info on this, please contact Dragonmaid.)

Jabberwocky: [also Jabberwock] From Lewis Carrol's Through the Looking-Glass (1871).
Jason: (Greek Mythology) son of Aeson, king of Iolcus in Thessaly. Pelias, Jason's half Uncle, tried to prevent Jason from claiming the throne. He sent Jason on the quest for the Golden Fleece. Jason assembled 50 of the noblest young men of Greece to accompany him on his ship, the Argos. The group, called the Argonauts, included Hercules (see Hercules), Orpheus, Castor, Pollux, and Peleus. The ship reached Colchis, and Ae�tes, the king, refused give them the fleece. Jason had to yoke and plow a field with two fire-breathing, brass-hoofed bulls, sow a field with dragon teeth and vanquish the armed men that would spring up from them. He finally had to take the Fleece, which was guarded by a dragon that never slept. Ae�tes' daughter, Medea (see Medea), helped Jason accomplished these tasks. On the homeward voyage the Argo safely passed between the six-headed monster, Scylla, and the whirlpool Charybdis.
Jormungand: (Norse Mythology) the world serpent that dwells at the bottom of the sea, and encircles the entire world. It was fortold that Jormungand would rise against the gods at Ragnarok (like Armageddon), helping Fenrir the wolf and other enemies of the 'good' gods, to destroy both Asgard and Midgard (Heaven and Earth).

King of Rattlesnakes, The: (North American Indian mythology) the dragon-snake known as the King of the Rattlesnakes lived in the mountains of North America. He wore his most prized jewel - a magical stone, on his head and the Cherokee Indians wanted it. Many braves died trying to kill the dragon, but to no avail. Finally, one warrior made a suit of armour out of leather which he thought would protect him from the dragon's fangs. The dragon had never seen leather before, and was killed in his confusion. This way, the Cherokees got the King's magical stone.
Komodo Dragon: a protected species, and the largest and most famous monitor. It weighs 135-kg (300-lb) and lives on several islands, including Komodo, in Indonesia. This lizard is a fierce predator and scavenger; its mouth carries a virulent bacteria, and its bite alone can be fatal. It can grow to be over six feet long. During the day the Komodo dragon hunts for it's food, sometimes killing deer. At night, it digs a cave and hides in it. Old tales of these lizards carrying off young children are thought to be the cause of some dragon myths.

Leviathan: (the Bible) one of the names of the primeval dragon subdued by Jehovah at creation: "You crushed Leviathan's heads, gave him as food to the wild animals" (Psalm 74:14;). Biblical writers also refer to the dragon as Rahab (Job 9:13; Psalm 89:10) or as the Abyss (Habakkuk 3:10). This is related to many other Creation myths featuring dragons, including the Syro-Pelestinian, Babylonian and Greek. Jewish apocalyptic writings foretell that Leviathan will break out of captivity at the end of the present era but will suffer a second and final defeat at the hands of God (2 Esdras 6:52; 2 Baruch 29:3-8)

Mah Jongg: a game based of ancient Chinese. Mah Jongg played with tiles shaped like small dominoes that feature Chinese Designs and Numerals. A full set contains 152 tiles, divided into seven suits: bamboos or bams (36 tiles), circles or dots (36 tiles), characters or cracks (36 tiles), dragons (honors, 12 tiles), winds (honors, 16 tiles), jokers (8 tiles), and flowers (8 tiles).
Marduk: (Babylonian religion) the supreme god, originally god of thunderstorms. In the Enuma elish, an epic creation poem, Marduk defeated Tiamat and Kingu, the dragons of chaos, and hence gained all supreme power. He is the creator of the universe and of humankind, the god of light and life, and had 50 other titles. He is also known simply as Bel, meaning Lord
Medea: (Greek Mythology) A princess who had magical powers. She helped the hero Jason capture the Golden Fleece (the famous golden wool of a flying ram) by putting a spell on the dragon that guarded it. She also helped Jason sow dragon's teeth and defeat the army that sprang up from them. Medea fell in love with Jason when he and his companions, the Argonauts, came to Colchis to capture the fleece. Medea, fleeing with Jason, slew her brother, Apsyrtus, to delay the pursuit of her father. She later killed Glauke, a woman Jason left her for, and killed both her sons by Jason in the hope that they would neverbe mis-treated. When Jason set out to kill her, she escaped in a chariot drawn by dragons.
Michael, Saint: one of four archangels mentioned in both Jewish and Christian scriptures and Patron angel and guardian of Israel. In (the Bible) Revelation 12: 7-9, Michael and his angels fight a dragon. (If you know more about this dragon and the event please contact Dragonmaid.)

Nibelungenlied, The: (German Mythology) Epic poem written about A.D. 1200. Means Song of the Nibelungs. it tells of Siegfried, who owns the fabulous Nibelung treasure and the Tarnkappe, a cloak which gave him both the strength of 12 men and invisibility. He killed a dragon (See Fafnir) and bathed in its blood, which hardened his flesh, protecting it from wounds. But a linden leaf had fallen between his shoulders while he bathed, leaving an unprotected spot on his back. He was later killed by being stabbed in this spot.
Nidhoggr: (Scandinavian mythology) the "Dread Biter". He hated everything and everybody, and gnawed at the universal tree, to kill it and the universe. Workmen repair the tree everyday, but Norsemen say this gnawing will go on until the end of time.

Reluctant Dragon, The: (from a story by Kenneth Graham) a boy who knew all about dragons, went to see a dragon that showed up near his town. They talked about many things, and they became firm friends. The townspeople didn't like the dragon, and sent for St. George. The dragon didn't want to fight, so the boy to worked everything out. The Saint, the Boy and the Dragon eventually all becaome friends.
Role Playing Games (RPG): In most RPGs, one player is named the "gamemaster," and other players assume individual roles of different characters with special attributes, such as strength or magical ability. Players lead their characters through imaginary adventures, like discovering treasure in dungeons guarded by monsters. The gamemaster tells the players what happens to them through each stage of the adventure, and they may do anything from entering a room to meeting a dragon. RPGs may or may not involve a board. Dungeons & Dragons, is one of the more well-known RPGs. Since the success of D&D (invented in the 1970's), many new role-playing games have been published each year. RPG's have also spawned many myths, elaborating on classic mythological themes, the 'myth' that some Dragons breathe electricity or ice most probably came from RPG.

Sailing - Dinghies & Yachts: Sailboats are separated into two categories, Dinghies and Yachts. There are hundreds of classes of these boats. Each is built slightly differently as to their design and size, and are known as one-design classes. Each class has its own name, Dragon being one of them.
Saint George: See George, Saint
Saint Michael: See Michael, Saint
Scales: a dragon's body is usually covered with tough, shiny scales, although they often do not have this scaly armor on the neck or stomach. The scales are pentagonal, and shaped like a teardrop, with two long sides and two shorter ones, and a very short fifth side attached to the skin. The dragon can make scales stand on end preen them; mating purposes; or to make him/her appear larger. Normally, the scales overlap and fit together neatly to allow freedom of movement. A substance in the scales is rich in minerals, which determines their hardness and color. scales surface has horny, translucent texture, which gives the scales their shine.
Smaug: (from JRR Tolkein's the Hobbit) Smaug had teeth like swords, claws like spears, and breath that meant death to anyone who breathed it.
Snapdragon: common name for any member of plant of the figwort family. The name refers to the resemblance of the plant's flower to the mouth of a dragon. When the sides of the flower are pressed it opens, and the lower and upper parts snap shut when released. One species is also known as dragon's-mouth.

Tatzlwyrm: (German Mythology) A winged, fire-breathing dragon (Urgently needed, more infomation on this dragon, please contact Dragonmaid.)
Tiamut: (Babylonian mythology) A female dragon that was too big to measure. She had the scaly body of a snakes and horns. Tiamat fought her son Marduk (see Marduk) in a long and violent battle. Marduk finally sent a flash of lightning to Tiamat's heart, which ended the battle and Tiamut's Life. Marduk used half of Tiamat's body to make the heavens and the other half to make the earth.
Tristram, Sir: (Arthurian Legend) also Tristan, a knight of the Round Table and a hunter and harp player. He is featured in many legends, which include tales of his killing a dragon and a giant. Best-known for his love affair with Isuelt (Also Isolde, Isolt), the wife of his uncle, King Mark. (If you know more about this dragon, please contact Dragonmaid.)
Typhon: (Egyptian mythology) the mystery of the god Sol that was inscribed on a black image of Isis. The Divine Boy was chased by the cruel Typhon, the dragon is also said to pursue Isis while she is trying to protect her son.(know more about this dragon? please contact Dragonmaid.)

Viking Ships: Viking Warships of the 700's to 1000's had prows (front ends) that gracefully curved upward and ended with a woodcarving of the head of a dragon or snake.
Vritra: (Indian Mythology) the dragon of the clouds. Vritra stored rain in its stomach and the god Indra shot thunderbolts at her to make it rain. When the thunderbolts hit the dragon, the rain would fall.

Wales: A Red Dragon features on the Flag of Wales, and the dragon has symbolised Wales for nearly 2000 years
Wingate's Raiders: a corps of British, Burmese, and Gurkha commandoes, commanded by the British major general Orde Charles Wingate, who fought in World War II. General Wingate organized this force in 1941, and their strikes dealt a significant blow to Japanese advancement in Southeast Asia. They were also known as the Chindits, after the dragon statues that decorated the front of Burmese temples. The raiders demolished bridges, military installations, ammunition dumps, railway lines, and relayed Japanese intelligence to the British Royal Air Force.
Wyvern: Winged (western) dragon, with only two legs