Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A weight division in professional boxing having an upper limit of 147 pounds (66.1 kilograms), between junior welterweight and junior middleweight.
  • noun A boxer competing in this weight division.
  • noun A contestant in various other sports in a similar weight division.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In horse-racing, an unusually heavy weight, especially as carried by horses in many steeple chases and hurdle-races. These weights some times amount to as much as 40 pounds over weight for age.
  • noun In wrestling or boxing, a weight coming between light- and middle- weight, usually 145 pounds or under.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Horse Racing) A weight of 28 pounds (one of 40 pounds is called a heavy welterweight) sometimes imposed in addition to weight for age, chiefly in steeplechases and hurdle races.
  • noun A boxer or wrestler whose weight is intermediate between that of a lightweight and that of a middleweight.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Alternative spelling of welter-weight.
  • noun Alternative spelling of welter-weight.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an amateur boxer who weighs no more than 148 pounds
  • noun a weight of 28 pounds; sometimes imposed as a handicap in a horse race (such as a steeplechase)
  • noun a wrestler who weighs 154-172 pounds
  • noun a professional boxer who weighs between 141 and 147 pounds

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From welter, heavyweight boxer, perhaps from welt.]

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Examples

  • Fate meets some Mexican fight reporters who let him accompany them when they go to the camp where the Mexican welterweight is training.

    Looking for Archimboldi 2009

  • By the way, welterweight is between light and medium — just 152 lbs — so Hatton is not a big guy.

    Pro Boxer’s Punch Carries Heavy Weight « Isegoria 2008

  • Karami was second at last year's Olympic qualifier in welterweight, losing in the final to France's Christophe

    USATODAY.com 2005

  • Shane Mosley weighed in one pound heavier than fellow American Floyd Mayweather Jr. for their non-title welterweight bout.

    Yahoo! News: Latest news headlines News Headlines | Top Stories 2010

  • Shane Mosley weighed in one pound heavier than fellow American Floyd Mayweather Jr. for their non-title welterweight bout.

    Yahoo! News: Latest news headlines News Headlines | Top Stories 2010

  • Daley missed the 171-pound weight limit for non-title welterweight bouts, but Hazelett still agreed to take the bout.

    canada.com Top Stories 2010

  • Shane Mosley weighed in one pound heavier than fellow American Floyd Mayweather Jr. for their non-title welterweight bout.

    Yahoo! News: Latest news headlines News Headlines | Top Stories 2010

  • LAS VEGAS, May 1 (Reuters) - Floyd Mayweather Jr preserved his unbeaten professional record with an unanimous points decision victory over fellow American Shane Mosley in a non-title welterweight bout on Saturday.

    Latest News - Yahoo!7 News 2010

  • Floyd Mayweather Jr., right, throws a left at Juan Manuel Marquez, of Mexico, during their non-title welterweight boxing match in Las Vegas, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009.

    FanHouse 2009

  • Floyd Mayweather Jr., right, throws a left at Juan Manuel Marquez, of Mexico, during their non-title welterweight boxing match in Las Vegas, Saturday, Sept. 19,

    FanHouse 2009

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