prizefight

English

Etymology

From prize +‎ fight – the term prize originally referred to rank advancement, not a monetary prize.

Based on Renaissance English Prize Playing (16th century) within the Company of Maisters of the Science of Defence [sic] – public rank advancement fights within the organization, wherein the “prize” was rank advancement. The company later became defunct, while the term was revived in late 17th century for public shows of street fighters, which eventually developed into modern boxing.

In modern times, reinterpreted to mean “a fight for a (monetary) prize”.

Pronunciation

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Noun

prizefight (plural prizefights)

1. A professional boxing match, in which two boxers compete for a prize (usually money).
   • 1976 April 7, Ian Stewart, “Boxer's Death Stirs In in Australia”, in The New York Times‎^[1]:

     “Regrettable though it may be, fighting is a basic human interest and previous attempts to outlaw professional boxers in other countries have failed to stamp out illegal prizefights,” the paper said in an editorial.

   • 1988 August 27, Mel Gussow, “Review/Theater; A Fading Prizefighter Confronts His Facade”, in The New York Times‎^[2]:

     At its heart, the story is fairly familiar from prizefight fiction, one of betrayal - and self-betrayal - in which a once-promising athlete confronts his failure.

Related terms

• prizefighter
• prizefighting
• prizing (obsolete)