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The Dragons are viewed as mythical creatures, typically depicted as gigantic and powerful serpents or other reptiles with magical, spiritual or supernatural qualities. Most dragons are either European dragons, derived from various, European folk traditions, or unrelated, Oriental dragons, derived from the Chinese dragon.

Like most other mythological creatures, dragons are perceived in different ways by different cultures. Dragons are sometimes said to breathe and spit fire or poison as well as many other elements. They are commonly portrayed as serpentine or reptilian, hatching from eggs and possessing typically feathered or scaly bodies. They are sometimes portrayed as having large, yellow or red eyes, a feature that is the origin for the word for dragon in many cultures. They are sometimes portrayed with a row of dorsal spines, keeled scales, or leathery, bat-like wings. Winged dragons are usually portrayed only in European dragons while Oriental versions of the dragon resemble large snakes. Dragons can have a variable number of legs: none, two, four, or more when it comes to early European literature. Modern depictions of dragons tend to be larger than their original representations, which were often smaller than humans.

Although dragons occur in many legends around the world, different cultures have varying stories about monsters that have been grouped together under the dragon label. Dragons are often held to have major, spiritual significance in various religions and cultures around the world. In many East Asian cultures, dragons were, and in some cultures, still are, revered as representative of the primal forces of nature, religion and the universe. They are associated with wisdom—often said to be wiser than humans—and longevity. They are commonly said to possess some form of magic or other supernatural power or powers, and are often associated with wells, rain, and rivers. In some cultures, they are also said to be capable of human speech.