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).

---

noun

• lightweights
  plural

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

---

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

Derived Forms

• ultralightweight
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• lightweights
  plural

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

See Examples For:

lightweight lightweights

Makhachev, who is a former lightweight world champion, extended his glittering record to 29 wins and one defeat, while 28-year-old Machado Garry suffered the second loss of his 19-fight career.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

ChatGPT maker OpenAI has slashed fees by 80 percent for its latest lightweight model "Luna", and Anthropic has unveiled a model approaching its most powerful system's performance at half the price.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

Those who must be outside are encouraged to wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing and limit strenuous activities to the early morning or evening, he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

Cordina is a former super-featherweight world champion and was due to fight for the WBO lightweight title in the United States on July 4.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

The sleeping bags are lightweight; the summer evenings still get cold.

From "Paradise on Fire" by Jewell Parker Rhodes

The audience might forget those things, but it will remember how silly the suits looked as they struggled to deal with perceived lightweights who had organized against them.

From Slate ● Sep. 15, 2023

The two lightweights aren’t even fighting for a title or a fringe belt — making it a true grudge match.

From Washington Times ● Apr. 20, 2023

“They are the world’s premier lightweights, and it would be a fantastic battle.”

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 29, 2022

Also added to the card is an all-British fight between lightweights Saul Rogers and Tim Wilde.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2022

"We're lightweights," Mabel tried to joke, but her voice was thick with regret.

From "We Are Okay" by Nina LaCour