featherweight
featherweight Lexical Profile
featherweight Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Relating to or denoting the featherweight division in boxing and other combat sports.
"He successfully defended his featherweight title for the third consecutive year."
Extremely light in physical weight.
"The backpackers packed featherweight tents to minimize the load on their steep ascent."
Lacking depth, substance, or serious importance.
"Critics dismissed the summer comedy as a featherweight distraction with a predictable plot."
• noun
A weight class in boxing and other combat sports intermediate between bantamweight and lightweight, or a fighter who competes in this division (in professional boxing, up to 126 pounds or 57.2 kg).
"The young featherweight relied on his remarkable footwork and speed to outmaneuver his opponent."
A person or thing of very light weight, or someone of little influence, consequence, or ability.
"Compared to the seasoned diplomats at the summit, the newly appointed envoy was considered an intellectual featherweight."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the early 19th century as a compound of 'feather' and 'weight', originally used in horse racing to denote the lightest weight allowed to be carried by a horse before being adopted into boxing and wrestling.