Lewis & Short

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glădĭātor, ōris, m. [gladius; cf. digladior], a swordsman, fighter in the public games, a gladiator (cf.: lanista, mirmillo, secutor, retiarius, bestiarius, pugil, athleta).

  1. I. Lit.: athletae et gladiatores, Cic. Or. 68, 228: gladiatorum spectaculum, id. Tusc. 2, 17, 41: ut emat gladiatores, id. Sull. 19, 55: ut gladiatoribus imperari solet, id. Sest. 37, 80: nobiles, id. Phil. 3, 14, 35: tam bonus gladiator rudem tam cito accepisti, id. ib. 2, 29, 74: quis tota Italia veneficus, quis gladiator, quis latro, quis sicarius, etc., id. Cat. 2, 4, 7.
    As a term of reproach: Gracchorum potentiam majorem fuisse arbitramini quam hujus gladiatoris (i. e. Antonii) futura sit? Cic. Phil. 5, 12, 32; 7, 6, 17; id. Verr. 2, 3, 62, § 146: vetus proverbium est, gladiatorem in arena capere consilium, Sen. Ep. 22, 1: (gladiatorum) emptio et venditio, an locatio et conductio, Gai. Inst. 3, 146.
    1. B. Transf., in plur., a combat of gladiators, gladiatorial exhibition: rumor venit datum iri gladiatores; populus convolat, Ter. Hec. prol. alt. 32; Cic. Sest. 64, 133 and 135; Suet. Tit. 7: edere, id. Aug. 45; id. Dom. 4: edendis gladiatoribus praesedit, Tac. A. 1, 76: locum gladiatoribus dare, Cic. Att. 2, 1, 5; id. Phil. 9, 7, 16; abl. absol.: gladiatoribus, at a show of gladiators, id. ib. 2, 19, 3; cf.: ut Romam vitet gladiatoribus, Lucil. ap. Non. 165, 14; Asin. Poll. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 32, 3; cf.: gladiatores, quod spectaculum inter epulas erat, eo ornatu armarunt (Campani), etc., Liv. 9, 40, 17.
  2. * II. A swordcutler: carpentarii, scandularii, gladiatores, aquilices, tubarii, etc., Dig. 50, 6, 6.