gladiator: Meaning and Definition of

glad•i•a•tor

Pronunciation: (glad'ē-ā"tur), [key]
— n.
  1. (in ancient Rome) a person, often a slave or captive, who was armed with a sword or other weapon and compelled to fight to the death in a public arena against another person or a wild animal, for the entertainment of the spectators.
  2. a person who engages in a fight or controversy.
  3. a prizefighter.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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