lightweight

American  

[lahyt-weyt] / ˈlaɪtˌweɪt /

adjective

1. light in weight.

2. being lighter in weight, texture, etc., than another item or object of identical use, quality, or function: a lightweight alloy for ship construction.

   a lightweight topcoat;

   a lightweight alloy for ship construction.

3. without seriousness of purpose; trivial or trifling.

   lightweight reading.

4. of or relating to a lightweight.

   He's the new lightweight contender.

5. (of a horse, especially a hunter) able to carry up to 165 pounds (75 kilograms).

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noun

1. a person of less than average weight.

2. Informal. a person who is of little influence, importance, or effect.

3. a boxer or other contestant intermediate in weight between a featherweight, and a welterweight, especially a professional boxer weighing between 126 and 135 pounds (56.7–61 kilograms).

lightweight British  

/ ˈlaɪtˌweɪt /

adjective

1. of a relatively light weight

2. not serious; trivial

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noun

1. a person or animal of a relatively light weight

2. 1. a professional boxer weighing 130–135 pounds (59–61 kg)

   2. an amateur boxer weighing 57–60 kg (126–132 pounds)

   3. ( as modifier )

      the lightweight contender

3. a wrestler in a similar weight category (usually 115–126 pounds (52–57 kg))

4. informal a person of little importance or influence

Other Word Forms

• ultralightweight adjective

Etymology

Origin of lightweight

First recorded in 1765–75; light ² + weight

Explanation

When an object is lightweight, it weighs much less than other similar objects. A person is a lightweight if they can't handle much — if you get full after a small meal, big eaters might refer to you as a lightweight. Break lightweight apart — light + weight — and you see its definition right there in its root words. Someone who is called a lightweight is either a professional boxer who weighs under 135 pounds or he's someone with little importance or ability. When a company is looking to make layoffs, it's the lightweight employees, or those who just aren't important to the business that often get axed first.

Example Sentences

WSJ | Buy Side: This lightweight, agile cordless vacuum cleans in all directions, with a green laser to show hidden dust.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Welsh lightweight Jones said he would not partner with Eddie Hearn himself, but added fighters must be prepared to take opportunities like Aspinall to supplement their income from fight pay.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

"This team figured out how to take full advantage of a national lab's world-class suite of capabilities to rapidly fill a huge gap in our understanding of lightweight automotive materials," Haynes said.

From Science Daily • Mar. 10, 2026

“It’s a little bit complicated when they put an image in your head and now you’re stuck with it,” he sings in “Paint by Numbers,” which pretty handily demonstrates how lightweight the introspection is here.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026

He opens his lightweight jacket to reveal a modified tool belt around his waist.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin