featherweight

noun feath·er·weight \ ˈfe-t͟hər-ˌwāt \

Definition of featherweight

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 :lightweight 2

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featherweight

adjective

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Recent Examples of featherweight from the Web

Returning to featherweight is less likely, given the effort necessary to make that 145-pound limit.

— greg beacham, The Seattle Times, "Conor’s choices: Defend UFC belt, box again, or Diaz III?," 27 Aug. 2017
In the interim, top prospects like featherweight Shakur Stevenson and super bantamweight Michael Conlin can compete on the ESPN cards, with the goal of becoming more familiar to non-boxing addicts.

— greg bishop, SI.com, "Top Rank Is Changing How Viewers Watch Boxing," 2 Aug. 2017
Overtheorizing also strains her study of the featherweight hits Vaughan recorded in the ’50s for her new label, Mercury.

— james gavin, New York Times, "A New Biography Looks at Sarah Vaughan, the Singer Known as Sassy," 20 July 2017
Smith, a 27-year-old from Shirley, N.Y., with a 23-1 record, will earn about $150,000 for the fight, the opener of a three-bout HBO card headlined by the super featherweights Miguel Berchelt and Takashi Miura.

— wallace matthews, New York Times, "Name (Joe Smith Jr.) and Day Job (Laborer) Are Ordinary. The Boxer Isn’t.," 14 July 2017
Pettis then moved to featherweight but lost to Max Holloway there and now moves back to 155 pounds.

— todd martin, latimes.com, "Slide show: Photos from UFC 213 in Las Vegas," 8 July 2017
According to records kept by Sherdog.com, Rajman had a 2-2 record as a 145-pound featherweight, with his last bout a TKO loss to James Warring in May 2016.

— matt bonesteel, chicagotribune.com, "MMA fighter Aaron Rajman, 'The Matzoh Brawler,' killed in home-invasion shooting," 5 July 2017
The 22-year-old featherweight won the Golden Gloves title in 2013 and has started his pro career with an 11-0 record and five knockouts.

— jake lourim, Philly.com, "Undefeated Fulton could be Philly's next boxing star," 4 July 2017
If so, the electron neutrino alone—the kind emitted by beta decay—is likely to be too much of a featherweight for KATRIN.

— adrian cho, Science | AAAS, "Weighing the universe's most elusive particle," 29 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'featherweight.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of featherweight

1812

FEATHERWEIGHT Defined for English Language Learners

featherweight

noun

Definition of featherweight for English Language Learners

: someone or something that weighs very little; especially : a boxer who weighs more than 118 pounds (53.5 kilograms) but less than 126 pounds (57 kilograms)

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