pugile

boxer

noun POO-jee-leh Rare

Origin: Latin pugil, fighter with fists

Usage Note

Pugile means a professional boxer. The sport itself is pugilato (boxing). Pugile is a common-gender noun — the masculine is il pugile and the feminine is la pugile (a female boxer). The plural is pugili. Do not confuse with pugno (fist/punch) — they share the Latin root pugnus.

Examples

"Il pugile ha vinto il match per KO."

Natural Translation

The boxer won the match by KO.

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