featherweight

American  

[feth-er-weyt] / ˈfɛð ərˌweɪt /

noun

1. a boxer or other contestant intermediate in weight between a bantamweight and a lightweight, especially a professional boxer weighing up to 126 pounds (57 kilograms).

2. an insignificant person or thing.

   He thinks he's a major composer, but he's just a featherweight.

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adjective

1. belonging to the class of featherweights, especially in boxing.

2. extremely light in weight.

   a featherweight quilt.

3. unimportant; trifling; slight.

featherweight British  

/ ˈfɛðəˌweɪt /

noun

1. 1. something very light or of little importance

   2. ( as modifier )

      featherweight considerations

2. 1. a professional boxer weighing 118–126 pounds (53.5–57 kg)

   2. an amateur boxer weighing 54–57 kg (119–126 pounds)

   3. ( as modifier )

      the featherweight challenger

3. a wrestler in a similar weight category (usually 126–139 pounds (57–63 kg))

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Etymology

Origin of featherweight

First recorded in 1805–15; feather + weight

Example Sentences

Murphy is ranked third in UFC's featherweight rankings and is likely to need a landmark win over a high-ranked opponent to put himself back in the title picture.

From BBC

Both Chefs Huang and O’Brien described the cut as “more forgiving” than white meat, which has made it popular among professional chefs and featherweight home cooks alike.

From The Wall Street Journal

A former featherweight champion, he earned the lightweight belt last year by knocking out Brazil's Charles Oliveira before temporarily stepping away from the sport for personal reasons.

From Barron's

The 35-year-old 'Leeds Warrior' is a two-time featherweight world champion and stalwart of British boxing.

From BBC

The featherweight bout will be professionally sanctioned under the Unified Rules of MMA with five rounds at 5 minutes each.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• agile
• airy
• buoyant
• delicate
• fluffy
• lightweight
• loose
• slender
• slight
• small
• thin