matador
UK /ˈma.tə.dɔː/ · US /ˈmæ.tə.dɔɹ/ noun, proper noun
Forms matadors matadores matadore
- noun (bullfighting) The person whose aim is to kill the bull in a bullfight.
- noun (uncountable) A certain game of dominoes in which four dominoes (the 4-3, 5-2, 6-1, and double blank), called matadors, may be played at any time in any way.
- noun (card games) The jack of clubs, or any other trump held in sequence with it, in the game of skat.
- noun (card games) One of the three chief cards in ombre and quadrille.
- proper noun A town, the county seat of Motley County, Texas, United States.
Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish matador (“killer”). Used in the English language as title for a bullfighter, however referred to as a torero in Spain.
Named after the Matador Ranch.
Webster’s 1913
- noun The killer; the man appointed to kill the bull in bullfights.
- noun In the game of quadrille or omber, the three principal trumps, the ace of spades being the first, the ace of clubs the third, and the second being the deuce of a black trump or the seven of a red one. When Lady Tricksey played a four, You took it with a matadore. Swift.
Etymology [Sp. matador, prop., a killer, fr. matar to kill, L. mactare to sacrifice, kill.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “matador”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details