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Glite Dictionary
retiarius

retiarius

1 9.9
A Roman gladiator who fights with a net and a trident against armored fighters
  • noun
  • /ˌrɛtiˈɛriəs/
  • Archaic
: retiario
  • In the arena, the retiarius skillfully threw his net, aiming to ensnare his heavily armed opponent.

Examples

  • Whenever a man fell, a retiarius was there to tangle him in a net or capture him with a trident.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • The book argues operationally for organized dispersion and describes young Napoleon as a retiarius who approached battle with a strategic net of divisions and struck with a tactical trident.

    Academic text (1990)

  • p39 "A retiarius," said Kondakov.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • The retiarius relied on his agility and finesse to evade attacks while striking with his trident.

  • During the gladiatorial games, the retiarius faced a fierce warrior, using his net to gain the upper hand.

Synonyms

gladiator
vsretiarius
55 7.4

A man trained to fight other people or wild animals with weapons in ancient Roman arenas for public show

is a specialized fighter using a net and trident against heavier armed foes

Surface Forms

retiarius singular
retiarii plural

Etymology

Retiarius comes from the Latin rete 'net' and the ending -arius 'one who uses or is connected with', so it means 'net-man'. A retiarius fought in the Roman arena with a net and a trident, using speed to trap heavier opponents, so the name fits their role.