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Yokozuna

British  
/ ˌjəʊkəʊˈzuːnə /

noun

  1. a grand champion sumo wrestler

"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

Etymology

Origin of Yokozuna

from Japanese yoko across + zuna rope, from the sacred straw rope presented to the grand champion

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The reaction was lukewarm at best and Hogan made sporadic appearances until losing the title to Yokozuna that summer.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 24, 2025

He already was an amateur Yokozuna, in addition to earning gold at the 2022 World Games in the heavyweight division.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 15, 2023

His performance venue, Yokozuna Tonkatsu Dosukoi Tanaka, opened in central Tokyo in November 2022, a month after Japan restarted visa-free travel.

From Reuters • Jul. 7, 2023

“Being a yokozuna comes with greater responsibility, including acting as a role model,” Hironori Yano, the head of the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, said in 2019.

From New York Times • Sep. 27, 2021

He received a warning last November from the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, who said that any future no-shows at tournaments could force them to retire him.

From BBC • Sep. 27, 2021