Etymology

pugilist

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Today it means: One who fights with their fists, feet, or both, especially a boxer and especially a professional prizefighter. Full definition →

First used 1790Latin pugil ← Proto-Indo-European *pewǵ-
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*pewǵ-“prick, punch”
  2. Latin · derived frompugil“boxer”
  3. English todaypugilist

From Latin pugil (“boxer”) + -ist, related to pugnus (“fist”), from Proto-Indo-European *pewǵ- (“prick, punch”). Compare contemporary pugilism (“boxing”) (1791).

Words from the same roots

Latinpugil all →

pugilism

Proto-Indo-European*pewǵ- all →

fist

First known use, by meaning

  • from 1790 One who fights with their fists, feet, or both, especially a boxer and especially a professional prizefighter.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.