'Pretorian' definitions:
Definition of 'pretorian'
(from WordNet)
adjective
Of or relating to a Roman praetor; "praetorial powers" [syn: praetorian, praetorial, pretorian, pretorial]
adjective
Characteristic of or similar to the corruptible soldiers in the Praetorian Guard with respect to corruption or political venality; "a large Praetorian bureaucracy filled with ambitious...and often sycophantic people makes work and makes trouble"- Arthur M.Schlesinger Jr. [syn: Praetorian, Pretorian]
Definition of 'Pretorian'
From: GCIDE
- Pretorian \Pre*to"ri*an\, a. [L. praetorians: cf. F. pr['e]torien.] Of or pertaining to a pretor or magistrate; judicial; exercised by, or belonging to, a pretor; as, pretorian power or authority. [1913 Webster]
- Pretorian bands or Pretorian guards, or Pretorians (Rom. Hist.), the emperor's bodyguards, instituted by the Emperor Augustus in nine cohorts of 1,000 men each.
- Pretorian gate (Rom. Antiq.), that one of the four gates in a camp which lay next the enemy. --Brande & C. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Pretorian'
From: GCIDE
- Pretorian \Pre*to"ri*an\, n. A soldier of the pretorian guard. [1913 Webster]