praetorian

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

/ priˈtɔr i ən, -ˈtoʊr- /

SEE 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.

Words nearby praetorian

praepostor, praesepe, praesidium, praetexta, praetor, praetorian, praetorian guard, praetorianism, praetorius, praetorship, prag

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. 2020

Examples from the Web for praetorian

Abdullah has spent his life building this Praetorian elite force.
Revolution in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?|Bruce Riedel|January 20, 2013|DAILY BEAST
But, afterwards, it was all praetorian and legionary business—and since!
Life of Lord Byron, With His Letters And Journals, Vol. 5 (of 6)|(Lord Byron) George Gordon Byron
On the death of Pertinax, the praetorian guards offered the throne to the highest bidder.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 4|Various
The death of Papinian, the Praetorian Praefect, was lamented as a public calamity.
The History of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire|Edward Gibbon

Directly the deed is done, the praetorian guard shall raise the cry: 'The Cæsar is dead!'
"Unto Caesar"|Baroness Emmuska Orczy
Most of these distinctions originate in the ancient civil, and praetorian Roman law.
The Rights of War and Peace|Hugo Grotius

British Dictionary definitions for praetorian (1 of 2)

praetorian

pretorian

/ (priːˈtɔːrɪən) /

adjective

of or relating to a praetor

noun

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

British Dictionary definitions for praetorian (2 of 2)

Praetorian

Pretorian

/ (priːˈtɔːrɪən) /

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

praetorian

adjective

noun

Words related to praetorian

Words nearby praetorian

Origin of praetorian

Examples from the Web for praetorian

British Dictionary definitions for praetorian (1 of 2)

pretorian

adjective

noun

British Dictionary definitions for praetorian (2 of 2)

Pretorian

adjective

noun