European dragon: Difference between revisions

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[[Image:stgeorge-dragon.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''[[Saint George]] versus the dragon'', [[Gustave Moreau]], c. 1880. This small dragon has the look of a [[griffin]] or a [[wyvern]].]]

In [[European]] [[mythology]], a '''[[dragon]]''' is a [[serpent]]-like [[legendary creature]]. The Latin word ''draco,'' as in the [[Draco (constellation)|constellation Draco]], comes directly from Greek ''δράκων'', drákōn. The word for dragon in [[Germanic mythology]] and its descendants is ''[[wiktionary:worm|worm]]'' ([[Old English language|Old English]]: ''wyrm'', [[Old High German]]: ''wurm'', [[Old Norse language|Old Norse]]: ''ormr''), meaning snake or serpent. In Old English ''wyrm'' means "serpent", ''draca'' means "dragon". Though a winged creature, the dragon is generally to be found in its underground [[lair]], a cave that identifies it as an ancient creature of earth, like the mythic [[serpent]], that temptedwas [[Adama andsource Eve]]of knowledge ineven thein [[Garden of Eden|Eden]]. Likely, the dragons of European and Mid Eastern mythology stem from the cult of snakes found in religions throughout the world.

== Dragons in modern times ==