gladiator
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gladiator
- /ˈɡlædiˌeɪ̯tə/ UK
- [ˈɡlædiˌeɪ̯tʰə] UK
- /ˈɡlædiˌeɪtɚ/ US
- [ˈɡlædiˌeɪtʰɚ] US
- /ˈɡlæɾiˌeɪɾɚ/ US
- [ˈɡlæɾiˌeɪɾɚ] US
Where it comes from
From Latin gladiātor, from gladius (“sword”). See also English gladius.
noun gladiators · gladiatour
- A person (professional or slave) who entertained the public by engaging in mortal combat with another, or with a wild animal. My mother prepared herself for the evening with the same somber deliberateness of the gladiators in Spartacus.
- A disputant in a public controversy or debate.
- A professional boxer.
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Synonym of heelwalker (“Any of the order Mantophasmatodea of carnivorous, wingless insects that superficially resemble a cross between praying mantises and phasmids.”).
Similar: heelwalker
verb gladiators · gladiatoring · gladiatored · gladiatour
- To fight as entertainment for others. When the dance was done there was the cock-fight, or rather a century of cock-fights, to be reckoned with. For two hundred of these luckless creatures 'gladiatored' bravely, while an appreciative audience held matting up to its chin to keep from being bespattered with blood.
- To compete in a public contest. I played very well as was evidenced in that I was the only participant in the entire six or seven days of wind gladiatoring who received a standing ovation from the orchestra, no less.
- To debate or argue. He did his gladiatoring doubtless without malice, and from a purely sporting instinct — even as Mr. Punch gave the provocation.
- To act aggressively toward others. Why, thin, Mister Levi Slam, don't you think now that a volley poured into them haythen mosquitos beyant would put a stop to their gladiatoring a little?
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: prizefighter, man, lanista, swordplayer, agonistarch, grappler, actor, combatant, fighter, gunfighter, warrior, militant, dogfighter, agonistes, showman, wrestler
Translations
Every language
noun (in ancient Rome) a person (professional or slave) who entertained the public by engaging in mortal combat with another, or with a wild animal
| Español | gladiador, bestiario |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 검투사 geomtusa, 검노 geomno, 글라디에이터 geulladieiteo |
| 日本語 | 剣闘士 kentōshi, グラディエイター guradieitā, 剣奴 kendo |
| 中文 | 角鬥士 /角斗士 jiǎodòushì |
| हिन्दी | ग्लैडीएटर glaiḍīeṭar |
| Português | gladiador |
| Français | gladiateur, belluaire |
| Deutsch | Gladiator |
| Italiano | gladiatore |
| Ελληνικά | μονομάχος monomáchos |
| Română | gladiator |
| Русский | гладиа́тор gladiátor |
| Tiếng Việt | võ sĩ giác đấu, đấu sĩ La Mã |
| العربية | مُجَالِد mujālid, مُصَارِع muṣāriʕ |
| עברית | גְּלַדְיָאטוֹר gladyátor, לוּדָר ludár |
Talk about this word "gladiator." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/gladiator. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. gladiator. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/gladiator "gladiator." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/gladiator.Cite this
@misc{gladiator_2026,
title = {gladiator},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/gladiator},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
