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 of gladiator

• boxer
• fighter

Examples of gladiator in a Sentence

the two punch-drunk gladiators stumbled to their corners

Recent Examples on the Web

But despite all the HR-speak about inclusion and ethics, the competitive atmosphere remained as brutal as a gladiator pit. —Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026

After the rise of Christianity, the passages under the Hippodrome, a stadium once used for chariot races and gladiator fights, were repurposed as workshops for dyeing fabric and making pottery. —Durrie Bouscaren, NPR, 28 Feb. 2026

Enslaved by the Romans, Spartacus (Andy Whitfield; later Liam McIntyre) is forced to undergo gladiator training as the series charts his path to becoming the leader of an uprising, known as the Third Servile War. —Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Feb. 2026

Some 1,500 Olympians, a bit over half those who competed in the Games, paraded into the monument built in the first century for gladiator fights and exotic animal hunts. —CBS News, 22 Feb. 2026

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