fisticuffs

British  

/ ˈfɪstɪˌkʌfs /

plural noun

1. combat with the fists

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Etymology

Origin of fisticuffs

C17: probably from fisty with the fist + _cuff ²

Explanation

Fisticuffs is the act of fighting, or boxing, with bare hands. A heated argument can sometimes end in fisticuffs, with both participants punching wildly at each other. If someone says to you, "Let's take this outside and settle it with some fisticuffs," it means you're likely to end up in a street scuffle. This seventeenth century word isn't too common these days, but it's a colorful way to say "fistfight." The word's form may imitate handiwork, or it might be based on the now-obsolete adjective fisty, "related to the fists," combined with the verb cuff, or "hit."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fisticuffs

In cellars and basements across the city, African-Americans hosted parties where white and black New Yorkers regularly shared the dance floor, imbibed together and sometimes got into fisticuffs that prompted the intervention of neighborhood watchmen.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

The two men constantly circle each other, two clicks away from West Side Story–style fisticuffs.

From Slate ● Apr. 14, 2025

He engages in fisticuffs when the situation requires it.

From Salon ● Dec. 13, 2024

Nearly every beat, every quip, every character dynamic and every outbreak of fisticuffs has its clear antecedent.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2023

A still, small voice reminded me to return good for evil, reminded me that my plans for the future do not include fisticuffs or expulsion.

From "Bronx Masquerade" by Nikki Grimes