draconian

draconian

See also: Draconian

English

WOTD – 16 May 2009

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /dɹəˈkəʊ.ni.ən/, /dɹækˈəʊ.ni.ən/
• (US) enPR: drā-kō'ni-ən, drə-, IPA^(key): /dɹeɪˈkoʊ.ni.ən/, /dɹəˈkoʊ.ni.ən/

• Audio (US)

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• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -əʊniən

Etymology 1

From the Athenian lawmaker Draco, from Latin Dracō, from Ancient Greek Δράκων (Drákōn), known for making harsh laws. See δράκων (drákōn, “dragon”).

Alternative forms

• Draconian

Adjective

draconian (comparative more draconian, superlative most draconian)

1. Very severe or strict.

   The Soviet regime was draconian.

   The mayor announced draconian budget cuts today.

   • 2009, Stuart Macintyre, A Concise History of Australia, page 125:

     The conflict in the countryside resulted in a far more draconian punishment. The Southern Cross flag flew over the camps of striking shearers, who in revenge for their victimisation burned grass, fences, buildings and even riverboats […]

   • 2020 April 8, Howard Johnston, “East-ended? When the ECML was at risk”, in Rail, page 65:

     Perhaps lessons had already been learned from the Draconian infrastructure cuts on the Waterloo-Exeter route.

Synonyms

• (very severe): cruel, hard, harsh, Orwellian, rigid, strict, stringent

Translations

severe, oppressive or strict

Afrikaans: drakonies Arabic: شَدِيد الْقُسْوَة‎ (šadīd al-quswa) Armenian: դրակոնյան (hy) (drakonyan) Bulgarian: драконовски (drakonovski) Catalan: draconià (ca) Chinese: Mandarin: 嚴苛的／严苛的 Czech: drakonický Dutch: draconisch (nl) Esperanto: drakona Finnish: erittäin ankara, drakoninen (fi) French: draconien (fr) Galician: draconiano (gl) German: drakonisch (de), drastisch (de), entschieden (de) Greek: δρακόντειος (el) (drakónteios) Hungarian: drákói (hu) Ido: drakonala (io) Irish: danartha Italian: draconiano (it) Korean: 엄격(嚴格)하다 (ko) (eomgyeokhada) Macedonian: драконски m (drakonski) Polish: drakoński (pl) Portuguese: draconiano (pt) Russian: драко́новский (ru) (drakónovskij) Spanish: draconiano (es) Swedish: drakonisk (sv)

Etymology 2

From Latin dracō (“dragon”).

Adjective

draconian (comparative more draconian, superlative most draconian)

1. (obsolete, except in fiction) Of or resembling a dragon.
   • 2006, Steven Erikson, Deadhouse Gates, Book Two, →ISBN, page 384:

     The dragon came low to the earth. It defied every image of a draconian being Kulp had ever seen.

   • 2009, Jacob Silvia, Qhoenix, page 73:

     A large sandwyrm (which isn't to be confused with a sandworm) popped its draconian head from the earth.

Synonyms

• (resembling a dragon): draconic, draconine, dragonish, dragonlike

Translations

of or resembling a dragon

Finnish: lohikäärmemäinen Ido: drakala Macedonian: змејски m (zmejski) Russian: драко́ний (ru) (drakónij), драко́новский (ru) (drakónovskij)

Anagrams

• Conradian, Rinconada, noncardia

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Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French draconien.

Adjective

draconian m or n (feminine singular draconiană, masculine plural draconieni, feminine and neuter plural draconiene)

1. draconian

Declension

Declension of draconian

		singular			plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine	masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative/ accusative	indefinite	draconian		draconiană	draconieni	draconiene
	definite	draconianul		draconiana	draconienii	draconienele
genitive/ dative	indefinite	draconian		draconiene	draconieni	draconiene
	definite	draconianului		draconienei	draconienilor	draconienelor