Meaning & use

pugilist

noun·Advanced

Last updated

A boxer or fighter, especially one who fights with fists.

See it in a sentence

The old pugilist still trained at the gym every morning despite his age.

Nineteenth-century pugilists fought bare-knuckle matches that could last for hours.

A note on using this word

From Latin 'pugil,' related to 'pugnus' (fist); it is a somewhat formal or old-fashioned synonym for 'boxer,' often used in historical writing.

Words with a similar meaning

boxerfighter

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

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