bruiser
/bɹuzɚ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 2.60 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
In contact sports, an athlete whose size, strength, and/or aggressiveness make it likely that they will cause athletes on the opposing team to suffer physical punishment.
noun
A tall, strong, heavily built person, usually a man, especially one prone to physical violence; a strong and tough person.
Colloquial; Derogatory
noun
Example Sentences
- "His "assistant" was a big bruiser named Pete, who, with his enormous shoulders and menacing scowl, was clearly present for the intimidation factor."
- "So there, my dear Bertie, was I, within a few hours of my entrance into this town, with my top-hat down to my ears, my highly professional frock-coat, and my kid gloves, fighting some low bruiser on a pedestal in one of the most public places, in the heart of a yelling and hostile mob! I ask you whether that was cruel luck or not?"
- "While planning a recent move, I checked the pages of Majority Report, which lists women-owned and operated businesses and found a listing for "Truck You." […] Two women from Queens, and formerly of New Jersey GAA, Ulla and Mickey, came with their van and a successful move was accomplished without reliance on macho male bruisers."
- "Sometimes, when in the newspapers I happen upon descriptions of our modern bruisers and prizefighters, I wonder what chance the best of them would have had against him."
Etymology
Etymology tree English bruise Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere English -er English bruiser From bruise + -er.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /bɹuzɚ/
- British English: /bɹuːzə/