GLADIATOR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does gladiator mean? 

• GLADIATOR (noun)
  The noun GLADIATOR has 2 senses:

1. (ancient Rome) a professional combatant or a captive who entertained the public by engaging in mortal combat

2. a professional boxer

  Familiarity information: GLADIATOR used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GLADIATOR (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(ancient Rome) a professional combatant or a captive who entertained the public by engaging in mortal combat

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("gladiator" is a kind of...):

battler; belligerent; combatant; fighter; scrapper (someone who fights (or is fighting))

Domain category:

antiquity (the historic period preceding the Middle Ages in Europe)

Domain region:

capital of Italy; Eternal City; Italian capital; Roma; Rome (capital and largest city of Italy; on the Tiber; seat of the Roman Catholic Church; formerly the capital of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire)

Derivation:

gladiatorial (of or relating to or resembling gladiators or their combat)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A professional boxer

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

gladiator; prizefighter

Hypernyms ("gladiator" is a kind of...):

boxer; pugilist (someone who fights with his fists for sport)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "gladiator"):

featherweight (a professional boxer who weighs between 123 and 126 pounds)

heavyweight (a professional boxer who weighs more than 190 pounds)

cruiserweight; light heavyweight (a professional boxer who weighs between 169 and 175 pounds)

lightweight (a professional boxer who weighs between 131 and 135 pounds)

middleweight (a professional boxer who weighs between 155 and 160 pounds)

welterweight (a professional boxer who weighs between 141 and 147 pounds)

Instance hyponyms:

Ali; Cassius Clay; Cassius Marcellus Clay; Muhammad Ali (United States prizefighter who won the world heavyweight championship three times (born in 1942))

Corbett; Gentleman Jim; James John Corbett; Jim Corbett (United States heavyweight boxing champion (1866-1933))

Dempsey; Jack Dempsey; Manassa Mauler; William Harrison Dempsey (United States prizefighter who was world heavyweight champion (1895-1983))

Charles Liston; Liston; Sonny Liston (United States prizefighter who lost his world heavyweight championship to Cassius Clay in 1964 (1932-1970))

Joe Louis; Joseph Louis Barrow; Louis (United States prizefighter who was world heavyweight champion for 12 years (1914-1981))

Marciano; Rocco Marciano; Rocky Marciano (United States prizefighter who won the world heavyweight championship in 1952 (1924-1969))

Ray Robinson; Robinson; Sugar Ray Robinson; Walker Smith (United States prizefighter who won the world middleweight championship five times and the world welterweight championship once (1921-1989))

Gene Tunney; James Joseph Tunney; Tunney (United States prizefighter who won the world heavyweight championship by defeating Jack Dempsey twice (1898-1978))

Michael Gerald Tyson; Mike Tyson; Tyson (United States prizefighter who was world heavyweight champion (born in 1966))

 Context examples 

The old gladiator looked round him in great contempt.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He stands out among contemporary rhymesters—magazine rhymesters—as a gladiator stands out in the midst of a band of eunuchs.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)