gladiator

[ glad-ee-ey-ter ]

noun

1. (in ancient Rome) a person, often a slave or captive, who was armed with a sword or other weapon and compelled to fight to the death in a public arena against another person or a wild animal, for the entertainment of the spectators.
2. a person who engages in a fight or controversy.
3. a prizefighter.

gladiator

/ ˈɡlædɪˌeɪtə /

noun

1. (in ancient Rome and Etruria) a man trained to fight in arenas to provide entertainment
2. a person who supports and fights publicly for a cause

Word History and Origins

Origin of gladiator¹

1535–45; < Latin gladiātor, equivalent to gladi ( us ) sword + -ātor -ator

Word History and Origins

Origin of gladiator¹

C16: from Latin: swordsman, from gladius sword

Example Sentences

Pliny the Elder, writing in first-century Rome, describes people with epilepsy guzzling the gore of wounded gladiators.

From Popular-Science

Voltchkov of Belarus found his way all the way to the 2000 Wimbledon semifinals, falling to the great gladiator Pete Sampras after telling reporters he had been four times that fortnight to the new movie “Gladiator.”

From Washington Post

I couldn’t believe I was standing right next to the gladiators of the ring I had seen so many times on TV.

From Ozy

While “Spartacus” would lead you to believe otherwise, all gladiators did not have big penises.

From No Straight News

So, for that matter, was Gladiator, the previous foray into ancient legend by director Ridley Scott.

From The Daily Beast

As the Roman emperors knew during the staging of the gladiator games at the Coliseum, so FIFA knows now: The mob must be appeased.

From The Daily Beast

The Gladiator star has been avidly tweeting at Pope Francis, asking for a screening for his upcoming film Noah.

From The Daily Beast

At the end of Gladiator, Maximus Decimus Meridius, played by Russell Crowe, dies.

From The Daily Beast

The man on the phone was Joaquin Phoenix—the actor who would go on to star in Gladiator, Walk the Line, and The Master.

From The Daily Beast

Lieutenant Ralph Thurstane was a tall, full-chested, finely-limbed gladiator of perhaps four and twenty.

From Project Gutenberg

But Gilbert, like a disarmed gladiator, had received the proud speech and the scorning looks straight in the heart.

From Project Gutenberg

For a moment our bleeding and hampered young gladiator seemed to be in a bad way.

From Project Gutenberg

The gladiator who was refused release (missi) received the death blow from his opponent without resistance.

From Project Gutenberg

I studied the people's faces as a gladiator might have done in the arena.

From Project Gutenberg