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Synonyms

gladiator

American  
[glad-ee-ey-ter] / ˈglæd iˌeɪ tər /

noun

  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.

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of gladiator

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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.