gladiator

C1 Topic:People & Society

US /ˈɡlæd.i.eɪ.t̬ɚ/ UK /ˈɡlæd.i.eɪ.tə/ See IPA manual

Freq #16353

Meanings

1

noun
in ancient Rome, a trained fighter who took part in public arena combats against other people or animals

The gladiator entered the arena carrying a sword and a small shield.
2

noun
figurative: a person who competes or argues fiercely before the public

The veteran lawyer was known as a formidable courtroom gladiator.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · in ancient rome, a trained... arena fightercombatant

2 noun · figurative: a person who... contender fighter combatant

Opposites

spectator

Word family

Forms gladiatorialgladiators

Derived forms gladiatorialgladiatrix

Related forms gladiusarena amphitheaterretiarius

Etymology

From Latin gladiator ("swordsman, fighter in public games"), from gladius ("sword"). Gladius was probably borrowed into Latin from a Celtic language. The figurative English sense preserves the spectacle and ferocity associated with combat in a Roman arena.

Topics

People & Society Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# gladiator

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈɡlæd.i.eɪ.t̬ɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɡlæd.i.eɪ.tə/
**Frequency rank:** 16353

## Meanings
1. in ancient Rome, a trained fighter who took part in public arena combats against other people or animals
2. figurative: a person who competes or argues fiercely before the public

## Examples
- The gladiator entered the arena carrying a sword and a small shield.
- The veteran lawyer was known as a formidable courtroom gladiator.

## Synonyms
- arena fighter
- combatant
- fighter
- contender

## Antonyms
- spectator

## Derived Forms
- gladiatorial
- gladiatrix

## Related Forms
- gladius
- arena
- amphitheater
- retiarius

## Etymology
From Latin gladiator ("swordsman, fighter in public games"), from gladius ("sword"). Gladius was probably borrowed into Latin from a Celtic language. The figurative English sense preserves the spectacle and ferocity associated with combat in a Roman arena.

## Topics
- People & Society
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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