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• Muhammad Ali
  Muhammad Ali

  noun

  original name Cassius ( Marcellus ) Clay. born 1942, US boxer, who was world heavyweight champion three times (1964–67; 1974–78; 1978)
• Ali, Muhammad
  Ali, Muhammad

  An African-American boxer of the twentieth century, who was world champion in the heavyweight class for several years between 1964 and 1979. He was known in his boxing career for his flamboyant personality and aggressive self-promotion, as well as for his superior boxing ability and style. His boxing strategy, he said, was to “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.” A Black Muslim, Ali was originally named Cassius Clay. After he refused for reasons of conscience to serve in the armed forces in the 1960s, several boxing associations revoked his title as world champion, but he regained it later. During his boxing career he was extremely popular in Africa, and after his retirement he traveled there as a goodwill ambassador.

Muhammad Ali

British  

/ ˈælɪ, ɑːˈliː, ˈɑːlɪ /

noun

1. original name Cassius ( Marcellus ) Clay. born 1942, US boxer, who was world heavyweight champion three times (1964–67; 1974–78; 1978)

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Ali, Muhammad Cultural  

1. An African-American boxer of the twentieth century, who was world champion in the heavyweight class for several years between 1964 and 1979. He was known in his boxing career for his flamboyant personality and aggressive self-promotion, as well as for his superior boxing ability and style. His boxing strategy, he said, was to “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.” A Black Muslim, Ali was originally named Cassius Clay. After he refused for reasons of conscience to serve in the armed forces in the 1960s, several boxing associations revoked his title as world champion, but he regained it later. During his boxing career he was extremely popular in Africa, and after his retirement he traveled there as a goodwill ambassador.

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Example Sentences

Muhammad Ali was the same way as Miles, so uncompromising.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

Built in 1837 by former Awadh ruler Muhammad Ali Shah, the site once served not just the elite, but the public too.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

The nizam juggled between his obligations to the colonial raj and to India’s rising pro-independence leaders Jawaharlal Nehru and Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

Between 15,000 and 16,000 doctors emigrated from Nigeria between 2020 and 2024, according to Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate.

From Barron's • Jan. 14, 2026

Well, I guess if you're Muhammad Ali, one of the biggest stars and the best fighter ever, jail ain't so bad.

From "When I Was the Greatest" by Jason Reynolds