gladiator
|gla-di-a-tor|
🇺🇸
/ˈɡlædiˌeɪtər/
🇬🇧
/ˈɡlædɪeɪtə/
trained arena fighter
Etymology
'gladiator' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'gladiātor', where 'gladius' meant 'sword'.
'gladiator' came from Classical Latin 'gladiātor' (literally 'swordsman'); the term passed through Medieval/Legal Latin and was adopted into English with the same form and meaning.
Initially it meant 'swordsman' or 'one who fights with a sword in the arena'; over time it retained the sense of an arena fighter but also acquired figurative senses such as 'a fierce competitor' in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
in ancient Rome, a person (often a slave or prisoner) trained to fight other people or wild animals in public spectacles, frequently in an arena, sometimes to the death.
The movie depicts a gladiator who rises from slavery to fame in the arena.
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Noun 2
figurative: someone who fights fiercely or competes aggressively in a non-literal arena (e.g., politics, business, sports).
She became a gladiator in the boardroom, defending her team's budget relentlessly.
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Last updated: 2025/08/24 22:53