Where does “gladiator” come from?
gladiator (Latin) comes 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.
Ancestry of “gladiator”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Latin | gladio | dative singular of gladius; ablative singular of... |
| 2 | Latin | gladius | sword; murder, death; a gladiatorial contest |
| 3 | Gaulish | kladyos | sword |
| 4 | Proto-Celtic | kladiwos | sword |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱelh₂- | to pierce, strike; to stick; prick; stab |