What does torero mean?
Torero is a Spanish-derived noun for a bullfighter, most strongly associated with the bullrings of Spain and Spanish-speaking countries. In careful English usage, it can include any of the principal performers in a bullfight, though matador often refers more specifically to the sword-wielding fighter who delivers the final pass with the banderilla. The word can also name the close-fitting, sleeveless jacket associated with such performers. Torero carries a strong cultural association with Spanish bullfighting, but its usage is not limited to describing someone who fights on foot. In ordinary English, bullfighter is the broad, neutral alternative, while torero is more evocative and often suggests a particular national tradition. Its unusual sound immediately signals Spanish origin, and its history reaches back to Latin taurus, meaning bull. Knowing the word therefore offers both a precise label within bullfighting terminology and a useful example of how Spanish vocabulary has entered English unchanged.
nounA bullfighter, especially one who fights a bull on foot in a Spanish-style bullfight. The term can also denote the close-fitting, sleeveless jacket worn by such a performer.
- A bullfighter, especially one who fights a bull on foot in a Spanish-style bullfight.
- A close-fitting, sleeveless jacket worn by a bullfighter.
"The celebrated torero entered the ring to sustained applause."
"The torero was carried out of the arena on his teammates' shoulders."
"He wore a black torero jacket over his white shirt."
The regular English plural is toreros; this is also the standard plural in Spanish.
"Several toreros appeared in the procession before the bullfight."
Torero traces directly to Latin taurus, the root associated with the bull in Taurus and taurine.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does torero come from?
Torero comes from Spanish, where it combines toro, meaning “bull” and deriving from Latin taurus, with the agent-forming suffix -ero, ultimately related to Latin -arius. The Spanish word entered English in the 17th century and was subsequently applied in English to the distinctive jacket worn by bullfighters. Portuguese toureiro and Italian torero are parallel forms in the bullfighter sense, while taurine and Taurus belong to the same wider Latin root.
How torero is actually used
The word has a formal, distinctly Spanish cultural association and is often more evocative than the broader English term bullfighter. It can apply to different performers in a bullfight, while matador commonly refers more specifically to the sword-wielding performer who delivers the final pass with the banderilla.