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# matador

noun (a matador, matadors)

«matador» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A matador is the main bullfighter in a Spanish-style bullfight, the person who tries to kill the bull with a sword. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matador/#m1)
2. The word comes from Spanish and means "killer". [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matador/#m2)

### In the lessons

In geography and culture lessons about Spain, bullfighting is a very old tradition that many people now oppose as cruel to animals; it is banned in some regions and countries. Matadors wear a sparkly "suit of lights" and wave a red cape (muleta). In stories, a matador is a picture of bravery or showing off. Phrases: «the matador's red cape», «matador and bull», «like a matador» (dodging neatly).

### Examples

- The matador waved his red cape at the bull. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matador/#x1)
- Many people protest against bullfights because the bull is hurt and killed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matador/#x2)
- The matador wore a glittering costume. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matador/#x3)
- Dodging the tacklers like a matador, he scored a try. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matador/#x4)
- Bullfighting is banned in some parts of Spain. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matador/#x5)
- The crowd cheered the matador. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matador/#x6)

### Note

Plural: «matadors». Myth: the bull is not angry at the colour red — bulls cannot see red well; it is the cape's movement that makes it charge. A «toreador» is an older word for a bullfighter (from the opera Carmen).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «matador» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matador/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«matador» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/matador.html) on Mova free.