gladiator

/ˈɡlædiˌeɪtɚ/

//ˈɡlædiˌeɪtɚ// noun

"gladiator" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“gladiator” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #22,687 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#22,687
frequency rank, English
9
letters
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A person (professional or slave) who entertained the public by engaging in mortal combat with another, or with a wild animal.

Key facts for gladiator
PropertyValue
Headwordgladiator
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɡlædiˌeɪtɚ/
Letters9
Frequency rank#22,687
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “gladiator” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). gladiator lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for gladiator is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɡlædiˌeɪtɚ/. Corpus data places it at rank #22,687 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for gladiator, with forms such as "galdiator", "ggladiator", and "gladaitor". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin gladiātor, from gladius (“sword”). See also English gladius. The correct English form is gladiator, spelled G-L-A-D-I-A-T-O-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A person (professional or slave) who entertained the public by engaging in mortal combat with another, or with a wild animal.
  2. 2
    A disputant in a public controversy or debate.
  3. 3
    A professional boxer.
  4. 4
    Synonym of heelwalker (“Any of the order Mantophasmatodea of carnivorous, wingless insects that superficially resemble a cross between praying mantises and phasmids.”).

Etymology

From Latin gladiātor, from gladius (“sword”). See also English gladius.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: galdiator,ggladiator,gladaitor,gladdiator,gladiaotr,gladiatorr,gladiatro,gladiattor,gladitaor,glaidator,gldaiator,glladiator,lgadiator

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of gladiator - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

galdiator2ggladiator1gladaitor2gladdiator1gladiaotr2gladiatorr1gladiatro2gladiattor1
Edit distance from "gladiator"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "gladiator"?
"gladiator" is spelled G-L-A-D-I-A-T-O-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɡlædiˌeɪtɚ/.
What does "gladiator" mean?
As a noun, "gladiator" means: A person (professional or slave) who entertained the public by engaging in mortal combat with another, or with a wild animal.
What are common misspellings of "gladiator"?
Common misspellings include "galdiator", "ggladiator", "gladaitor", "gladdiator", "gladiaotr". The correct spelling is "gladiator".
How do you pronounce "gladiator"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "gladiator" is /ˈɡlædiˌeɪtɚ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "gladiator"?
From Latin gladiātor, from gladius (“sword”). See also English gladius. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “gladiator”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is G-L-A-D-I-A-T-O-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɡlædiˌeɪtɚ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list