Meanings
comparative more pugilistic · superlative most pugilistic
- In the manner of a pugilist.
It was no time for pugilistic chivalry, and my brother laid him quiet with a kick, and gripped the collar of the man who pulled at the slender lady's arm.
1898, H. G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, Penguin Books, published 1962, page 1011 more example
Mr. Christie, who as a presidential candidate has frequently suppressed his most pugilistic instincts, cast off any restraint and did what he does best: slice and slash.
2016 February 7, Michael Barbaro, “Once Impervious, Marco Rubio Is Diminished by a Caustic Chris Christie”, in The New York Times - Fighting with the fists.
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
From pugilist + -ic, alternatively pugil + -istic.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan pugilístic
- pugilísticTranslations
French pugilistique
- pugilistiqueTranslations
Italian pugilistico
- pugilisticoTranslations
Polish bokserski, pięściarski
- bokserskiTranslations
- pięściarskiTranslations
Portuguese pugilístico
- pugilísticoTranslations
Spanish pugilístico
- pugilísticoTranslations
Cite this entry
pugilistic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pugilistic
“pugilistic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pugilistic. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pugilistic,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pugilistic.
Source: pugilistic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.