Luchadores

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term referring to professional wrestlers in Mexico known for their colorful masks and acrobatic wrestling style
2. Describing performers in lucha libre, a form of wrestling celebrated for its theatricality and athleticism, often featuring elaborate costumes
3. Denoting individuals who participate in a traditional Mexican sport characterized by high-flying maneuvers and dramatic storytelling in the ring

Etymology: "Luchadores" is the plural of "luchador," a Spanish word that simply means "fighter" or "wrestler," built from the verb "luchar," to fight or struggle. Its deeper roots run back to Latin "luctari," to wrestle, the source of many Spanish words for struggle and contest. The Spanish agent ending "-dor" descends from the Latin suffix "-tor," which marked a person who performs an action. Latin "luctator" ("wrestler") gave Spanish the stem behind "luchador," so the word has always named the person doing the wrestling rather than the sport itself. English borrowed "luchador" from Spanish, and in English it has come to mean specifically the masked professional wrestlers of Mexico, a sense the Spanish word shares only with its wrestling context.

Synonyms: wrestlers, fighters, athletes, performers, competitors