featherweight

noun

feath·​er·​weight ˈfe-t͟hər-ˌwāt How to pronounce featherweight (audio)
1
: one that is very light in weight
especially : a boxer in a weight division having a maximum limit of 126 pounds for professionals and 125 pounds for amateurs compare bantamweight, lightweight
2
featherweight adjective

Examples of featherweight in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The 145-pound scrap will crown the next UFC featherweight champion. Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025 Take Bryce Mitchell, for instance, a 30-year-old UFC featherweight star from Arkansas. Donie O'Sullivan, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2025 The 145-pound scrap will crown the next UFC featherweight champion. Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025 Jean Silva Bryce Mitchell (17-2) was 9-0 and coming off a defense of the V3 Fights featherweight title when Mitchell appeared on The Ultimate Fighter reality show. Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for featherweight

Word History

First Known Use

1812, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of featherweight was in 1812

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Cite this Entry

“Featherweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/featherweight. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

featherweight

noun
feath·​er·​weight -ˌwāt How to pronounce featherweight (audio)
1
: a very light weight
2
: one that weighs little
especially : a boxer in a weight division having an upper limit of about 126 pounds

More from Merriam-Webster on featherweight

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