gladiador
/ɡladjaˈdoɾ/masculine
The Spanish word for gladiator is gladiador.
The term gladiador refers to a person, such as a professional or a slave, in ancient Rome who entertained the public by engaging in mortal combat with another person or with a wild animal.
Meaning: (in ancient Rome) a person (professional or slave) who entertained the public by engaging in mortal combat with another, or with a wild animal (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of gladiador is gladiadora, which is used to refer to a gladiator woman (gladiatrix).
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡladjaˈdoɾ/
Did you know?
- You can use gladiador to describe a person facing a difficult medical treatment, such as a patient fighting cancer.
- The root of gladiador is the Latin word gladius, meaning 'sword'. This same root appears in the English word 'gladiolus', a flower named for its sword-shaped leaves.
- While gladiador refers to the historical combatant, in modern Spanish, the term gladiador is frequently used metaphorically to describe a person who shows great resilience in a difficult situation.
Examples in context
- El mejor gladiador luchará hoy.The best gladiator fights today.This sentence is useful for seeing the word gladiador in context.Tatoeba #10698610 by carlosalberto, translation #10698604 by carlosalberto
- Durante el reinado del emperador romano Nerón, los gladiadores eran un elemento central de entretenimiento en la antigua Roma.During the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero, gladiators were a central element of entertainment in ancient Rome.
- En la película "Gladiador", el actor Russell Crowe interpreta a un gladiador en la antigua Roma.In the movie "Gladiator," actor Russell Crowe portrays a gladiator in ancient Rome.
- El gladiador entró en la arena.The gladiator entered the arena.
- Ese gladiador era muy famoso.That gladiator was very famous.
Example conversation
Sofía and Daniel are visiting a historical museum.
- Sofía¿Viste la armadura de aquel gladiador?Did you see that gladiator's armor?
- DanielSí, es impresionante.Yes, it is impressive.
- SofíaDaniel, este gladiador parece muy fuerte.Daniel, this gladiator looks very strong.
- DanielEs verdad, la estatua es increíble.It is true, the statue is incredible.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gladiator” translations and entries gladiador, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
