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praetorian

[pree-tawr-ee-uh n, -tohr-]
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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.

RELATED WORDS

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

Nearby words

  1. praesidium,
  2. praeter-,
  3. praetexta,
  4. praetor,
  5. praetorial,
  6. praetorian guard,
  7. praetorianism,
  8. praetorians,
  9. praetorius,
  10. praetorius, michael

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

Examples from the Web for praetorian

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."

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper