gladiator

American  

[glad-ee-ay-ter] / ˈglæd iˌeɪ tər /

noun

• gladiators
  plural

1. (in ancient Rome) a person, often a slave or captive, who was armed with a sword or other weapon and compelled to fight to the death in a public arena against another person or a wild animal, for the entertainment of the spectators.

2. a person who engages in a fight or controversy.

3. a prizefighter.

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gladiator British  

/ ˈɡlædɪˌeɪtə /

noun

1. (in ancient Rome and Etruria) a man trained to fight in arenas to provide entertainment

2. a person who supports and fights publicly for a cause

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• gladiators
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of gladiator

1535–45; < Latin gladiātor, equivalent to gladi ( us ) sword + -ātor -ator

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Explanation

In ancient Rome, gladiators fought each other in front of an audience. Though these fights were called "games," they often ended in the death of one of the gladiators. Although they were celebrated in art and applauded for their strength and fighting skill, it wasn't easy to be an ancient Roman gladiator. They were essentially slaves who were forced to fight, sometimes being matched against wild animals or criminals. While the gladiator games may seem horrible to us today, they lasted almost a thousand years. The word gladiator comes from the Latin gladius, or "sword."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gladiator gladiators

My father, actor Kirk Douglas, the gladiator in the epic 1960 film, tried to be a good dad.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

Hunt says "looking good and feeling good" is all part of her process to get into the right mindset, and likens walking out on to the track to a gladiator entering an arena.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

On this week’s Amicus podcast, Dahlia Lithwick talked with election law gladiator Marc Elias, chair of Elias Law Group and founder of Democracy Docket.

From Slate ● Feb. 10, 2026

“She’d go out there and be the last gladiator standing if it were up to her.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 7, 2026

“I cannot have a wish,” Jefferson concluded, “to descend daily into the arena like a gladiator to suffer martyrdom in every conflict.”

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

"After sunset is a lot more comfortable," Victor Li, 52, told AFP as he toured the arena and the underground passages where animals and gladiators were once held.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

"It makes me think of gladiators in the Colosseum," deputy chief executive Jeremy Davies told BBC Sport.

From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026

Much that we thought was true about gladiators turns out not to be true at all.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026

But Ashur sees her and the rest of his gladiators as property, believing his wealth and diplomatic acumen can one day buy him a seat at the table of Rome’s most powerful.

From Salon ● Dec. 7, 2025

“Who are these men? Are they gladiators without their armor?” asked Aurelia.

From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks

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