Retiarius

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌɹɛtɪˈɑːɹi.əs/

Definitions

1. A historical figure in ancient Roman gladiatorial games known for fighting employing a net and a trident as primary weapons
2. An ancient combatant characterized by the use of fishing tools for engaging in battles within the arena
3. A type of gladiator from ancient Rome who fought using a net and a trident as distinctive weapons in the arena

Etymology: The retiarius was a specialised gladiator in ancient Rome, armed with a net, a trident and a short dagger, and usually without the heavy armour of his opponents. The Latin name "rētiārius" is built from "rēte", meaning "net", plus the suffix "-ārius", which marks a person connected with or working with something. A "rētiārius" was, in effect, a "net-man." The English word is a learned borrowing from that Latin form, so it entered the language as a scholarly term rather than through everyday speech. Its use is confined to discussions of Roman spectacles, where it keeps the original sense intact: the fighter defined by the net he threw to entangle an opponent before closing in with the trident.

Synonyms: gladiator