Komodo dragon (English)
Where does "Komodo dragon" come from?
The English noun 'Komodo dragon' is formed by combining the proper noun 'Komodo', designating the island, with the noun 'dragon'[1]. This compound refers to the massive monitor lizard native to that region and neighboring Indonesian islands[1].
Full etymology tree
- Komodo dragon (English), 'Any of the endangered species Varanus komodoensis of monitor lizards native to certain Indonesian islands east of Java, the world's largest lizard, growing to 10 feet or 3 meters, known for its ability to kill prey with its septic saliva.'
- compound Komodo (English), 'An island of Indonesia, part of the Lesser Sunda Islands'
- compound dragon (English), 'A legendary serpentine or reptilian creature.'
Sources
Updated September 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris