Where does “gladiator” come from?

gladiator (Dutch) comes from Latin gladiātor, from Latin gladio, from Latin gladius, from Gaulish kladyos, from Proto-Celtic kladiwos, from Proto-Indo-European ḱelh₂- — to pierce, strike; to stick; prick; stab.

gladiator (Dutch): gladiator; entertainer who engages in mortal...

Definitions

  1. gladiator; entertainer who engages in mortal...

Ancestry of “gladiator”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latingladiātorgladiator, swordsman
2Latingladiodative singular of gladius; ablative singular of...
3Latingladiussword; murder, death; a gladiatorial contest
4Gaulishkladyossword
5Proto-Celtickladiwossword
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱelh₂-to pierce, strike; to stick; prick; stab
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱelh₂- →