Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A matador; a bullfighter.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A Spanish bull-fighter, especially one who fights on horseback.
Wiktionary
- n. A bullfighter.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. A bullfighter.
WordNet 3.0
- n. someone who fights bulls
Etymologies
- Spanish, from torear, to fight bulls, from toro, bull, from Latin taurus; see tauro- in Indo-European roots.
Examples
“(And although the word toreador has been Englished, any Spaniard or Mexican who used it would be laughed out of the room.”
Mexico
“A character chastises another for littering; it turns into a mock bullfight; the "toreador" picks up the litter, and does a bit of Flamenco juggling with it.”
“He counters, pointing out that the bull is compelled to fight, then is killed, and she says the "toreador" is clever, skillful, romantic, facing a wild bull and killing the animal with one thrust of the sword.”
“Samuel! There was a rolling wonder in the sound. Ay, there was!”
“Come to Quito and I will show you the brave sport of men, the toreador and the bull.”
“The video popped up after a story on police chases (yes, insert your joke here …) and I wanted to turn the sound up for confirmation of his identity, but I was so transfixed by his leering smile and toreador pants I just sat at my desk gaping like a carp.”
“ Finally, a young woman in toreador pants and black glasses spoke.”
“The old gooses from the buses are bumping obscenely in toreador pants.”
“David snorted, a deep sound, like a bull facing the toreador.”
“As members of the youth wing of his National Front party feasted on barbecue and apple pie, they were thrilled to see the grand old man hold forth, still the "provocateur" taunting the establishment, the "toreador" who hides the sword in his cape and lets the press run at him like a bull.”
“When John Harned says, "There would be some sport if a toreador were killed once in a while," he speaks for all who are sickened by the routine animal torture and murder called a bullfight.”
“Samuel! There was a rolling wonder in the sound. Ay, there was!”
Lists
‘toreador’ hasn't been added to any lists yet.
sidheag But the spelling according to Spanish ought to be matador, not matadore. Hence, toreador. Mar 24, 2009
seanahan Come on Sionnach, if the other one is matadore, then that definition should be toreadore.
Edit: Two spelling corrections Oct 13, 2007
sionnach member of the Spanish chapter of the Tori Spelling fan club Oct 13, 2007
slumry bullfighter; also toreadors, a style of pants worn by women in the 1950s Aug 1, 2007