Dracula

American  

[drak-yuh-luh] / ˈdræk yə lə /

noun

1. (italics) a novel (1897) by Bram Stoker.

2. Count, the central character in this novel: the archetype of a vampire.

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Etymology

Origin of Dracula

Origin uncertain; perhaps from Romanian Drăculea, a diminutive or patronymic of drăcul “the dragon,” and derived from a knightly order called the “Order of the Dragon” ( Ordo Draconum ), founded in 1408 by the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund ( 1368–1437 ), then king of Hungary, to defend Christianity and the Empire against the Ottoman Turks. After Vlad II Dracul (c. 1395–1447 ) was admitted to the order around 1431, he wore the dragon emblem of the order. Later, when Vlad II was prince of Wallachia (now part of Romania), his coinage bore the image of the dragon, from which the name Dracula is derived. Vlad II’s son, Vlad III (Vlad Ţepeş “Vlad the Impaler,” c.1431–c.1476 ) is most likely the model for the Bram Stoker character. Cf. dragon

Example Sentences

Dracula is a "soul-sapping affair", according to Sarah Crompton of WhatsOnStage, who said: "It's slick, soulless and all about appearances. There's no jeopardy or really any true drama."

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

And in fifth place at $4.5 million was Luc Besson's English-language adaptation of "Dracula," which was released in select countries outside the United States last year.

From Barron's • Feb. 8, 2026

Besson’s “Dracula” is over the top, highly stylized and speckled with outrageous creatures, visual effects and a plot that somehow connects Count Dracula to the centennial anniversary of the French Revolution.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026

After a century’s worth of Dracula pictures, the exposition seems a bit superfluous, and Mr. Waltz, a two-time Oscar winner, can’t do much with his dialogue, which sounds like guidance from “Vampire Stalking for Dummies.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026

Ah, young sir, the Szekelys—and the Dracula as their heart’s blood, their brains, and their swords—can boast a record that mushroom growths like the Hapsburgs and the Romanoffs can never reach.

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker