praetorian

[pree-tawr-ee-uh n, -tohr-]

See more synonyms for praetorian on Thesaurus.com

adjective

of or relating to a praetor.
(often initial capital letter) noting or pertaining to the Praetorian Guard.

noun

a person having the rank of praetor or ex-praetor.
(often initial capital letter) a soldier of the Praetorian Guard.

Origin of praetorian

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English word from Latin word praetōriānus. See praetor, -ian

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for praetorian

miscreant, evil, mercenary, low, degenerate, profligate, abandoned, baneful, boorish, degraded, deleterious, depraved, dissolute, flagitious, infamous, loose, monstrous, nefarious, perverse, rotten

Examples from the Web for praetorian

Contemporary Examples of praetorian

Abdullah has spent his life building this Praetorian elite force.
Revolution in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?
Bruce Riedel
January 20, 2013

Historical Examples of praetorian

But the praetorian guard, faithful to me, was unable to make headway.
"Unto Caesar"
Baroness Emmuska Orczy
On the threshold he was met by Martialis, the praetorian centurion.
A Thorny Path [Per Aspera], Complete
Georg Ebers
But while they deliberated, the praetorian guards had resolved.
The History of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Edward Gibbon
The Praetorian guards were attached to the youth of Alexander.
The History of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Edward Gibbon
They, with the Praetorian cavalry, formed the imperial guard and body-guard.
Quintus Claudius, Volume 1 of 2
Ernst Eckstein

British Dictionary definitions for praetorian

praetorian

pretorian

adjective

of or relating to a praetor

noun

a person holding praetorian rank; a praetor or ex-praetor

Praetorian

Pretorian

adjective

of or relating to the Praetorian Guard
(sometimes not capital) resembling the Praetorian Guard, esp with regard to corruption

noun

a member of the Praetorian Guard

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

Word Origin and History for praetorian

Praetorian

adj.

early 15c., from Latin praetorianus "belonging to a praetor," from praetor (see praetor). Praetorian Guard is from cohors praetoria, the bodyguard troop of a Roman commander or emperor. Hence modern figurative use for "defenders of an existing order."