warrior
Americannoun
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a person engaged or experienced in warfare; soldier.
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a person who shows or has shown great vigor, courage, or aggressiveness, as in politics or athletics.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of warrior
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English werreieor, from Old North French; equivalent to war 1 + -or 2
Compare meaning
How does warrior compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Although logically linked with someone engaged in war, a warrior can be anyone who fights the good fight, whether in politics, on the job, or just as a "weekend warrior" trying to accomplish multiple tasks during off-hours at home. As the Old French guerre meant "war," it led to the word guerreor for someone who wages war. This eventually morphed into the word we know as warrior. The word can also refer to someone fighting a philosophical or political war. Author Carlos Castandeda said, "Nobody is born a warrior, in exactly the same way that nobody is born an average man. We make ourselves into one or the other.” After ridding the kitchen of ants, you felt like a proud warrior.
Vocabulary lists containing warrior
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Large machinery and backhoes are working nonstop across the city ahead of the games, said Jaime Aguilar, a spokesperson for the group Warrior Searchers of Jalisco, which finds an average of two graves a month.
From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026
Pursuant to President Trump’s 2025 executive order creating a National Center for Warrior Independence on the 388-acre campus, the notice envisions restoring the building as “a supportive space for veteran interfaith programming and wellness.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
Fellow coal stocks Core Natural Resources, Alpha Metallurgical Resources, and Warrior Met Coal have also scored impressive runs since the beginning of the Middle East conflict.
From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026
His film, Ninth Master: Way of a Warrior, is a martial arts action movie with themes of courage and discipline but "rooted in modern Britain", according to his studio.
From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026
“Welcome, Warrior, and many thanks for all you have brought us,” said Vikus formally.
From "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins
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.
