lightweight

[ lahyt-weyt ]

/ ˈlaɪtˌweɪt /

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See synonyms for: lightweight / lightweights on Thesaurus.com

adjective

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

without seriousness of purpose; trivial or trifling: lightweight reading.

of or relating to a lightweight: He's the new lightweight contender.

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

noun

a person of less than average weight.

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

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).

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Origin of lightweight

First recorded in 1765–75; light² + weight

OTHER WORDS FROM lightweight

ul·tra·light·weight, adjective

Words nearby lightweight

light trap, light up, light valve, light verse, light water, lightweight, light welterweight, lightwood, light-year, lign-, lignaloes

Other definitions for lightweight (2 of 2)

light weight

noun Nautical.

light displacement.

Origin of light weight

First recorded in 1765–75

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use lightweight in a sentence

I’ve mostly stuck to pedal kayaks because they are lightweight, and more reliable because they are powered by me—not electronics.
This motorized kayak can drive itself|By Nate Matthews/Outdoor Life|August 28, 2020|Popular-Science
It is lightweight, low-profile, 100% waterproof, and has a 5-day battery life.
Project PR: The Personalized Recovery Study|Outside Editors|August 28, 2020|Outside Online
You also wanted your pen to be lightweight and easy to move between rooms.
Can You Cover The Globe?|Zach Wissner-Gross|August 28, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
It’s lightweight at just 22 pounds and the side handles make it easy to carry.
Make every project a breeze with the right miter saw|PopSci Commerce Team|August 26, 2020|Popular-Science

The medical kit that astronauts use to patch each other up will have to be lightweight and compact.
What will astronauts need to survive the dangerous journey to Mars?|Maria Temming|July 15, 2020|Science News
With Gear 2, Gear Neo, and Gear Fit, Samsung is pushing lightweight hardware with long-lasting battery life.
Your Dentist Is Watching You Brush|Abby Haglage|February 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Gates paints Reid as a lightweight more interested in Nevada issues than the defense of the nation.
Reid: Gates ‘Unethically’ Gossiped and Published Memoir to ‘Make Money’|John L. Smith|January 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He might have been considered a lightweight, but even if he didn't ask the tough questions, everybody watched him.
The Deaths You Missed This Year|Malcolm Jones, Jimmy So, Michael Moynihan, Caitlin Dickson|December 30, 2013|DAILY BEAST
When the Undetectable Firearms Act passed in 1988, gun manufacturers had begun using lightweight polymer in handguns.
The Deadly Plastic Gun Loophole the House Extension Leaves in Place|Eleanor Clift|December 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Without Diesel, this sequel seems like a lightweight, but brought on the much welcomed team of Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris.
Best Paul Walker Performances: Ranking the ‘Fast and Furious’ Franchise|Jimmy So|December 2, 2013|DAILY BEAST
You do have a recollection that those rods were a very lightweight metal?
Warren Commission (3 of 26): Hearings Vol. III (of 15)|The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy
Light as a lightweight acrobat Ahmet Ali had rolled aside, put palm to ground, sprung to his feet.
The Wind Bloweth|Brian Oswald Donn-Byrne
For his one chance was in his youth and the method he had learned from the lightweight champion of the world.
A Soldier of the Legion|C. N. Williamson
In lightweight circles, at any rate, old-fashioned proprieties are still effective.
Pieces of Hate|Heywood Broun
I never saw anything prettier than the way Bert flung him back as though he had been a lightweight.
Bert Wilson on the Gridiron|J. W. Duffield

British Dictionary definitions for lightweight

lightweight

/ (ˈlaɪtˌweɪt) /

adjective

of a relatively light weight

not serious; trivial

noun

a person or animal of a relatively light weight

a professional boxer weighing 130–135 pounds (59–61 kg)
an amateur boxer weighing 57–60 kg (126–132 pounds)
(as modifier)the lightweight contender

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

informal a person of little importance or influence

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

lightweight

Origin of lightweight

OTHER WORDS FROM lightweight

Words nearby lightweight

Other definitions for lightweight (2 of 2)

Origin of light weight

Words related to lightweight

How to use lightweight in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lightweight