variants
or less commonly pretor
: an ancient Roman magistrate ranking below a consul and having chiefly judicial functions
pretor, pretorian
2 of 2
pre·tor
less common spellings of praetor, praetorian
: an ancient Roman magistrate ranking below a consul and having chiefly judicial functions
Examples of praetor in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 10 July 2025
Constructed between 144 and 140 B.C. by an ancestor of Julius Caesar, the praetor Quintus Marcius Rex (after whom it was named), the Marcia was also the longest of the 11 aqueducts, running nearly 57 miles from its source springs to Rome.
—Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Mar. 2025
Macrinus was a mere praetor, a judicial official, with little political experience.
—National Geographic, 19 Mar. 2019
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Noun
According to the 2nd century text, an unknown Roman senator who rose to the high rank of praetor once requested that Caligula grant him a leave of absence due to an undescribed ailment.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 10 July 2025
Constructed between 144 and 140 B.C. by an ancestor of Julius Caesar, the praetor Quintus Marcius Rex (after whom it was named), the Marcia was also the longest of the 11 aqueducts, running nearly 57 miles from its source springs to Rome.
—Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Mar. 2025
Macrinus was a mere praetor, a judicial official, with little political experience.
—National Geographic, 19 Mar. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Praetor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/praetor. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
praetor
noun
prae·tor
ˈprēt-ər 
: an ancient Roman official ranking below a consul and acting as a judge
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