Dragon Book

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Any one of several textbooks about compiler construction written by Alfred Aho and Jeffrey Ullman, especially Compilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools (1986).

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English
Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “Dragon Book” mean?

Any one of several textbooks about compiler construction written by Alfred Aho and Jeffrey Ullman, especially Compilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools (1986).

Is “Dragon Book” formal or informal?

Dragon Book is generally slang.