retiarius

American  

[ree-shee-air-ee-uhs] / ˌri ʃiˈɛər i əs /

noun

Roman History.

• retiarii
  plural

1. a gladiator equipped with a net for casting over his opponent.

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retiarius British  

/ ˌriːtɪˈɛərɪəs, ˌriːʃɪ- /

noun

1. (in ancient Rome) a gladiator armed with a net and trident

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• retiarii
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of retiarius

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin rēte “net” + -i-, connecting vowel + -ārius, noun suffix; see origin at rete ( def. ), -i- -ary ( def. )

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

retiarius retiarii

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

In his hands were the weapons of a retiarius - a trident and a weighted net.

From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan

The conquering retiarius withdrew his net, and leaning on his spear, looked to the audience for their judgment.

From Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 6 by Hamilton Wright Mabie

The ancient retiarius, when pitted against a powerful wild beast, appeared in the arena with a rope-net folded over his left shoulder.

From The Wonders of Instinct Chapters in the Psychology of Insects by Alexander Teixeira de Mattos

Like as not, now, some toe-dancing stripling of a retiarius will entangle me in his net this very afternoon, and no mercy signal has been or will be given this day.

From Triplanetary by E. E. (Edward Elmer) Smith

They came in divisions of twenty-five, Thracians, Mirmillons, Samnites, Gauls, each nation separately, all heavily armed; and last the retiarii, holding in one hand a net, in the other a trident.

From Quo Vadis: a narrative of the time of Nero by Jeremiah Curtin

If I can ever come away I shall, but I'd not miss this gladiator show, this retiarii swing.

From Greener Than You Think by Ward Moore

With the exception of the retiarii all wore helmets, and their right arms were covered with armour, the left being protected by the shield.

From Beric the Briton : a Story of the Roman Invasion by G. A. (George Alfred) Henty

Sometimes they faced the wild animals; and at times they even took the trident and the net of the retiarii and tried their skill against the swordsmen.

From Roman Women by Alfred Brittain

There will be rare tactics with the retiarii armed with nets.

From Saronia A Romance of Ancient Ephesus by Richard Short

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