Meaning & use
gladiator
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Meanings
nouncountable
In ancient Rome, a trained fighter who fought other people or animals for public entertainment.
Grammar: Countable; often used in historical contexts.
Patterns
- a Roman gladiator
- gladiator fights
- gladiator games
The gladiator raised his sword to the cheering crowd.
Many gladiators were slaves or prisoners of war.
The museum has a helmet worn by a Roman gladiator.
nouncountablefigurative
Someone who fights or competes very fiercely, especially in sports or politics.
Grammar: Used figuratively; often in journalism or informal speech.
Patterns
- a political gladiator
- a gladiator in the courtroom
- a gladiator on the field
The two lawyers were gladiators in the courtroom.
He's a gladiator on the tennis court, never giving up.
The debate turned into a battle between political gladiators.
Word forms
| plural | gladiators |
|---|
Common combinations
- Roman gladiator
- The film tells the story of a Roman gladiator.
- gladiator fight
- The gladiator fight drew huge crowds.
- gladiator school
- He trained at a gladiator school in Rome.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- gladiatorial adjective
- Relating to gladiators or their fights.
Practice
In ancient Rome, a gladiator was someone who ___.
Choose one answer.
A gladiator was a trained fighter who fought for public entertainment. The other options describe other roles in Roman society.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “gladiator”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.