pugilist
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of pugilist
First recorded in 1780–90; from Latin pugil ( see pugilism) + -ist
Explanation
Pugilist is a fancy word for boxer, one who indulges in the noble art of pugilism, or fighting with one's fists. Be warned when people use the term pugilist or you see it in the paper. Nowadays such a term is often sarcastic in tone and critical of boxing's claims for legitimacy, often suggesting it's essentially savagery masquerading as sport. If you hear "the term "fighter" you can be more certain it's used with approval, or at least without prejudice.
Vocabulary lists containing pugilist
100 SAT words Beginning with "P"
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"Winter Dreams," Vocabulary from the short story
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Becoming Muhammad Ali
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Timed for the 25th anniversary of “The Pugilist at Rest,” this posthumous collection brings together Jones’s most recent published work, peopled by his usual cast of American grifters and drifters.
From New York Times • Oct. 16, 2018
The first Mason fiction I read was “Death of the Pugilist or, the Famous Battle of Jacob Burke & Blindman McGraw.”
From New York Times • Sep. 12, 2018
“The Pugilist at Rest,” his first and most famous story, took its title from a Greek sculpture and was inspired by Mr. Jones’s stint in the Marines.
From Washington Post • Oct. 20, 2016
The central relationship in The Pugilist at Rest, between the narrator and his buddy Jorgesen, is often repeated in Jones’s work.
From The Guardian • Oct. 20, 2016
The Trainer of a Pugilist consulted a Physician regarding the champion’s diet.
From Fantastic Fables by Bierce, Ambrose
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
