gladiator

American  

[glad-ee-ey-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

Etymology

Origin of gladiator

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

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

Egyptians in antiquity engaged in sword combat for warfare, but also for competition — Romans utilized swords in gladiator events, rituals and duels.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

He’s even holding a gladiator contest on the White House lawn in June to celebrate his birthday.

From Salon ● May 3, 2026

One speaks of a gladiator in the singular, but we learn from Mr. Sidebottom that there were at least nine different types of gladiator: the murmillo, the thraex, the retiarius, the eques and so on.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 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

“July First, the Kalends of July, sacred to Juno. That’s when Mother wants to destroy those stupid demigods and really rub it in Juno’s face. Besides, I’m not paying overtime for those gladiator ghosts!”

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan

"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

The author’s title, for a notable instance, clips off the end of the full line “those who are about to die salute you”—an expression credited to gladiators but was seldom actually exclaimed.

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

“Those are our gladiators who are going to do battle here,” announcer Scotty Ernst bellowed into the microphone.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2025

The gladiators, uncertain, stopped in their tracks and turned to the Imperial Box, waiting for instructions.

From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks