Wyrmmaster

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who controls or commands mythical serpent-like creatures ; a master responsible for the training and guidance of dragon-like beasts ; an expert skilled in taming and directing large, serpentine monsters
2. An individual who has dominion over legendary reptilian monsters ; one who leads and manages the behavior of dragonic or worm-like beasts ; a specialist in the care and command of giant serpents or dragons
3. A figure known for wielding authority over colossal serpents or wyverns ; a trainer adept in the handling of dragon-shaped creatures ; a commander of monstrous, serpent-like animals in fantasy contexts

Etymology: "Wyrmmaster" is a compound of "wyrm" and "master," and both halves carry older histories than the compound itself. "Wyrm" comes from Old English "wyrm," meaning a serpent, snake, or dragon-like creature, and it is cognate with German "Wurm" (worm). In Old English the word could apply to almost any creeping or crawling creature, including worms and grubs, so the sense of a great serpent was a later narrowing. The word "master" comes from Old English "mægester," borrowed from Latin "magister," meaning chief or teacher. Because "wyrm" stayed in use through the medieval period, the compound fits English's habit of joining an older Germanic noun to a Latin-derived one. The fantasy sense, a dragon or serpent of legend, was revived strongly by writers in the 19th and 20th centuries who wanted an archaic flavour, and "wyrmmaster" appears mainly in that literary and game-fiction tradition rather than in older records. Its exact first use in English is uncertain, so the compound is best understood as a modern coinage built from long-established parts.