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

Derived 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

A Google spokeswoman said the lightweight Fitbit Air is easier to move during more aggressive exercises, especially if the band isn’t snug.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

While the access badge is meant to be worn, Bathiche said it "is lightweight and designed for agent interactions on the go."

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

Fighters Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje will top the bill of six fights in a lightweight championship clash, the UFC announced in March.

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

“It’s durable, lightweight, transparent, so it could even be used as a substitute for glass,” Elias Picazo, assistant professor of chemistry at USC, said of the final plastic product.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026

There was a plastic chair, a lightweight folding table, and a bucket with a cover on it, which served Shadow as a makeshift toilet.

From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman