gladiator

noun

glad·​i·​a·​tor ˈgla-dē-ˌā-tər How to pronounce gladiator (audio)
Synonyms of gladiatornext
1
: a person engaged in a fight to the death as public entertainment for ancient Romans
2
: a person engaging in a public fight or controversy
3
: a trained fighter
especially : a professional boxer
gladiatorial
ˌgla-dē-ə-ˈtȯr-ē-əl How to pronounce gladiator (audio)
adjective

Synonyms of gladiator

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Examples of gladiator in a Sentence

the two punch-drunk gladiators stumbled to their corners
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The movie follows Lucius’ return to Rome as a slave, forced to compete in gladiator fights as his father Maximus (Crowe’s character from the original movie) did before him. — Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026 Rome — Rome’s ancient Colosseum, where gladiators were once gored by wild animals to the delight of cheering crowds, has never exactly been associated with safety. — Antonia Mortensen, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026 With her star power, Zendaya helped to cement the comeback of gladiator sandals, which other celebrities had been embracing, too. — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026 Several others were Olympic rowers, with a weightlifter, Olympic gladiator and NASA engineer rounding out the team. — Madeleine Kashkooli, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gladiator

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from gladius sword, of Celtic origin; akin to Welsh cleddyf sword

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gladiator was in the 15th century

Rhymes for gladiator

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Cite this Entry

“Gladiator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gladiator. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

gladiator

noun
glad·​i·​a·​tor ˈglad-ē-ˌāt-ər How to pronounce gladiator (audio)
1
: a person engaged in a fight to the death for public entertainment in ancient Rome
2
: a person engaging in a fierce fight or controversy
gladiatorial
ˌglad-ē-ə-ˈtōr-ē-əl How to pronounce gladiator (audio)
-ˈtȯr-
adjective
Etymology

from Latin gladiator, literally, "swordsman," from gladius "sword" — related to gladiolus

More from Merriam-Webster on gladiator

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gladiator

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