英文词源
- gladiator
- gladiator: [16] The main Latin word for ‘sword’ was gladius. It was probably borrowed from a Celtic word, in which case its relatives would include Irish claideb, Welsh cleddyf, and Scots Gaelic claidheamh (which with the addition of mór ‘great’ produced English claymore [18]). Among its derivatives were gladiātor, literally ‘swordsman’, and gladiolus, literally ‘little sword’, acquired by English in the 16th century.
=> claymore, gladiolus - gladiator (n.)
- mid-15c., "Roman swordsman," from Latin gladiator (fem. gladiatrix) "fighter in the public games; swordsman," from gladius "sword" (there is no verb *gladiare), which probably is from Gaulish (compare Welsh cleddyf, Cornish clethe, Breton kleze "sword;" see claymore). Old Irish claideb is from Welsh.
The close connection with Celtic words for 'sword', together with the imperfect match of initial consonants, and the semantic field of weaponry, suggests that Latin borrowed a form *gladio- or *kladio- (a hypothetical variant of attested British Celtic *kladimo- 'sword') from [Proto-Celtic] or from a third language. [de Vaan]
中文词源
gladiator（角斗士）：使用罗马短剑决斗的人
古罗马的角斗士之所以为称为gladiator，是因为他们的主要武器是古罗马短剑（gladius）。罗马短剑是罗马人受西班牙凯尔特人所用武器的启发而制成的。这种剑长度较短，十分锋利，适合刺杀，是古罗马军队中配置的基本武器。古罗马军人选择长度较短的剑，这是由古罗马军队的作战方式决定的。古罗马军队讲究团队作战，步兵通常携带长矛、盾牌和短剑。在距离敌人较长时，可以投掷长矛发动攻击。近距离作战时，步兵用盾牌排列成防守阵型，再用短剑刺杀敌人。由于与战友之间距离很近，长剑挥舞起来不太方便。而且与长剑砍劈相比，短剑刺杀的杀伤力更强，更节省体力。
gladiator：['glædɪeɪtə] n.（古罗马）角斗士，斗剑者
该词的英语词源请访问趣词词源英文版：gladiator 词源，gladiator 含义。
gladiator：角斗士
来自PIE*kel, 砍，切，词源同clone, claymore.
gladiator：(古罗马)角斗士
来源于拉丁语名词gladius, -ii, m(剑)