matador

[ mat-uh-dawr ]

noun

1. the principal bullfighter in a bullfight who passes the bull with a muleta and then, in many countries, kills it with a sword thrust; a torero.
2. one of the principal cards in skat and certain other games.
3. (initial capital letter) a jet-powered U.S. surface-to-surface missile.

matador

/ ˈmætədɔː /

noun

1. the principal bullfighter who is appointed to kill the bull
2. (in some card games such as skat) one of the highest ranking cards
3. a game played with dominoes in which the dots on adjacent halves must total seven

Word History and Origins

Origin of matador¹

1665–75; < Spanish, equivalent to mata ( r ) to kill (perhaps < Vulgar Latin *mattāre, presumed derivative of Late Latin mattus soft, weak; matte ¹ ) +- dor -tor

Word History and Origins

Origin of matador¹

C17: from Spanish, from matar to kill