1. of or relating to a praetor or the Praetorian Guard of ancient Rome
Usage: historical
2. having the characteristics of a military guard or elite force

1. a member of the Praetorian Guard in ancient Rome
Usage: historical
2. a member of an elite military or political guard

Examples

• The pretorian cohorts protected the Roman emperor.
• Ancient pretorian soldiers were known for their loyalty and discipline.
• The dictator surrounded himself with a pretorian force.
• Each pretorian wore distinctive armor and carried special weapons.
• The pretorian guard eventually became powerful enough to influence politics.
• Modern security forces sometimes adopt pretorian-style organization.