Boxer
/ˈbɑːk.sɚ/noun
A person who fights with fists in a regulated sport, or an animal/thing associated with boxing.
Did you know?The fighting sense of *boxer* is much newer than the word *box* itself; English first used *boxer* for someone who made boxes, and only later for a fist-fighter who “boxes.”
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
box
“A box tree or its wood, from Latin *buxus*.”
Middle English
ME
box
“A container or case, especially one made of wood.”
Late Middle English
ME
boxen
“To fight with the fists; to strike with the hands.”
17th Century
English
boxer
“A person who makes boxes; later, a fist-fighter.”
Modern English
English
boxer
“A person who practices boxing, especially as a sport.”