different between earthdrake vs firedrake

English

Alternative forms

• earth-drake, earth drake

Etymology

From Middle English *erthedrake, from Old English eorþdraca (“earth dragon”), equivalent of earth +? drake.

Noun

earthdrake (plural earthdrakes)

1. A mythical monster in early Anglo-Saxon literature; a dragon.
   • 1876, William Spalding, The History of English Literature, page 40

     ... he sacrifices his own life in destroying a frightful earthdrake,

Related terms

• firedrake
• nithedrake
• seadrake

References

English

Etymology

From Middle English firdrake, from Old English f?rdraca (“fire-spewing dragon”), equivalent to fire +? drake.

Noun

firedrake (plural firedrakes)

1. A fire-breathing dragon.
   • 1913, Helene A. Guerber, The Book of the Epic

     […] the incensed firedrake, in revenge, flies all over the land, vomiting fire and smoke in every direction, […]

2. A fiery meteor, an ignis fatuus, a rocket
3. A kind of firework
4. (figuratively, poetic) A worker at a furnace or fire (Can we add an example for this sense?)

Related terms

• earthdrake
• seadrake

References

• Century Dictionary and Cyclopdia

Further reading

• HMS Firedrake on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• USS Firedrake on Wikipedia.Wikipedia