Dragon

"Dragon" is a wide-reaching term describing many types of creatures, especially those that are large, reptilian animals. The term "dragon" comes from Latin "draco," which comes in turn from the ancient Greek "drakōn," a word that meant something along the lines of "serpent," but which also referred to a multitude of reptilian creatures, including very dragon-like creatures --- many of which tended to be gargantuan serpents.

Since its initial entrance into the English language in the 13th century, the word 'dragon' has come to describe almost any cryptid reptilian creature of considerable size, especially in modern times. Even creatures from other cultures that had never before been described as dragons, and which held no relationship to the beasts that were described in Greek, Roman, or European mythologies other than having a similar description, united with other mythological creations under the banner of the term "dragon."