Word History: The eponym of today's Good Word is Draco, the chief magistrate of Athens who codified Athenian law in 621 B.C. ![]() In Play: We think that today's word is not used around the house as much as it should be: "Mom, don't you think that grounding me for a month is a bit draconian for wrecking the Chevy?" (It wasn't the Porsche, after all.) This doesn't mean situations calling for it don't arise at work: "The new manager is rather draconian about which sites we can and cannot visit on the company's computers." Keep in mind, however, that draconic is also the adjective for dragon, meaning "like or characteristic of a dragon", so a draconic attitude has a bit of ambiguity absent in the corresponding phrase, a draconian attitude-ambiguity you might be able to play with. ![]() This means we may use draconism or draconianism as a noun. Notes: The adverbial form corresponding to today's adjective most often used is draconically, based on a synonym, draconic. Meaning: Painfully harsh or severe in terms of rules or punishment.
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