In Aztec mythology, Quetzalcoatl is the feathered serpent deity associated with wind, learning, and the planet Venus.
The name Quetzalcoatl comes from Nahuatl and combines quetzal, a brilliantly colored bird, with coatl, meaning serpent. The deity therefore unites avian and serpentine qualities rather than representing a conventional European-style dragon. Quetzalcoatl was associated with wind through the aspect or related figure Ehecatl and was also connected with priesthood, knowledge, and creation myths.
Venus was important in Mesoamerican astronomy, and Quetzalcoatl was linked with the planet’s appearances as both morning and evening star. Aztec religious traditions also credit him in some accounts with helping create humanity or recover human bones from the underworld.
Quetzalcoatl should not be confused with Kukulkan, the related feathered-serpent deity worshipped by the Maya. The two figures share broad Mesoamerican themes, but their names and cultural settings are different. Quetzalcoatl is best understood as a feathered serpent god, not simply a dragon.