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• boxer
  boxer

  noun

  a person who fights as a sport, usually with gloved fists, according to set rules; prize-fighter; pugilist.
• Boxer
  Boxer

  noun

  a member of a Chinese secret society that carried on an unsuccessful uprising, 1898–1900 BoxerRebellion, principally against foreigners, culminating in a siege of foreign legations in Peking (now Beijing) that was put down by an international expeditionary force.

boxer

¹ American  

[bok-ser] / ˈbɒk sər /

noun

1. a person who fights as a sport, usually with gloved fists, according to set rules; prize-fighter; pugilist.

2. one of a German breed of medium-sized, stocky, short-haired, pug-faced dogs having a brindled or tan coat with white markings.

3. a person or thing that packs items into boxes.

4. boxers. boxer shorts.

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Boxer ² American  

[bok-ser] / ˈbɒk sər /

noun

1. a member of a Chinese secret society that carried on an unsuccessful uprising, 1898–1900 BoxerRebellion, principally against foreigners, culminating in a siege of foreign legations in Peking (now Beijing) that was put down by an international expeditionary force.

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Boxer ¹ British  

/ ˈbɒksə /

noun

1. 1. a member of a nationalistic Chinese secret society that led an unsuccessful rebellion in 1900 against foreign interests in China

   2. ( as modifier )

      the Boxer Rebellion

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boxer ² British  

/ ˈbɒksə /

noun

1. a person who boxes, either professionally or as a hobby; pugilist

2. a medium-sized smooth-haired breed of dog with a short nose and a docked tail

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Etymology

Origin of boxer¹

First recorded in 1735–45; box ² + -er ¹

Origin of Boxer²

First recorded in 1895–1900; translation of Chinese yìhé juǎn “Righteous Harmony Fist,” name of the militant policy of the yìhé tuán “Righteous Harmony Group”

Explanation

Someone taking part in a sport in which two people punch each other with big padded gloves is a boxer. If you want to be a boxer, you'll need to build your arm strength and practice fast-moving footwork. If you spend time training at a boxing gym, sparring in the ring with partners who dance around throwing jabs in your direction, you can call yourself a boxer. If your job involves putting things into cardboard boxes, you're another kind of boxer. A third meaning of this word is a smooth-coated, serious-faced breed of dog that's named for its habit of standing up and "boxing" with its paws when it plays with other dogs.

Example Sentences

BOXER: I think I speak for a lot of people who really like her on both sides of the aisle.

From Time Magazine Archive

BOXER: I think we should be authentic, and I think we should allow our candidates to be who they are.

From Time Magazine Archive

BOXER: She never said the questions were over the line.

From Time Magazine Archive

In Memphis, a housewife placed an ad in the classified section of the Press-Scimitar: "BOXER PUPS�My husband's $75 dogs for $50 and less; if a man answers, please hang up."

From Time Magazine Archive

BOXER, in a slouch hat and light overcoat, stands holding a heavy smith's hammer at arm's length.

From The Dramatic Works of Gerhart Hauptmann Volume I by Hauptmann, Gerhart

Related Words

• fighter
• prizefighter