gladiator

noun

glad·​i·​a·​tor ˈgla-dē-ˌā-tər 

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 

adjective

Synonyms

• boxer
• fighter
• prizefighter
• pug
• pugilist

Examples of gladiator in a Sentence

the two punch-drunk gladiators stumbled to their corners

Recent Examples on the Web

Like gladiators entering the arena, 62 aspiring American Idol contestants survived the first round of Hollywood Week only to run into the buzzsaw of Sunday night’s (April 6) Showstopper rounds. —Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 7 Apr. 2025

Our adversarial system needs its legal gladiators on both sides of the political aisle to challenge government overreach and fight for their clients without fear of retribution. —Daniel R. Depetris, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Apr. 2025

As revealed in the teaser trailer below, the show features dinosaur gladiators, space battles, and household appliances coming to life. —Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025

Refresh your shoe stand with a new pair of gladiator sandals, boat shoes, and slingback heels. —Victoria Montalti, Refinery29, 8 Apr. 2025

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

Rhymes for gladiator

• activator
• actuator
• agitator
• alligator
• allocator
• alternator
• animator
• annotator
• applicator
• arbitrator
• aspirator
• aviator

Kids Definition

gladiator

noun

glad·​i·​a·​tor ˈglad-ē-ˌāt-ər 

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 

-ˈtȯr-

adjective

Etymology

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