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In 19th-century pugilistic slang, what was "The Fancy"?

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pugilistic

American  

[pyoo-juh-lis-tik] / ˌpju dʒəˈlɪs tɪk /

adjective

1. 

   relating to or involving fighting with the fists, especially professional boxing.

   The movie Rocky is a triumphant, rags-to-riches tale of pugilistic glory.

2. inclined or eager to fight; aggressively hostile; belligerent.

   She was fired for being a pugilistic, wine-tossing diva who fought with nearly everyone.

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Other Word Forms

• unpugilistic
  adjective
• pugilistically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of pugilistic

pugilist ( def. ) + -ic

Explanation

If you're pugilistic, you're a boxer — or you just like to fight. When you're heading to watch a boxing match, you could say you're going to see a pugilistic event (and you'll sound really smart). A professional boxer can be described as pugilistic, but a middle school kid who's always getting in fist fights is also pugilistic. Another word for a boxer or a fighter is a pugilist, which comes from the Latin pugil, "boxer or fist fighter." This root is also related to the word pugnus, "fist," and pugnacious, "combative or fond of fighting."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pugilistic

It was classic Ford: pugilistic, blunt and, critics say, a bit reckless.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

And Bennett thinks the heightened stakes and occasion will mean a less pugilistic occasion.

From BBC ● Feb. 22, 2026

They were elected officials and think-tank staffers and pugilistic power users on Twitter.

From Slate ● Jun. 9, 2025

Hernández was less pugilistic in front of the canvassers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 22, 2024

The day after his pugilistic rage, he sat in his chair and didn’t move or say a word all day.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah