bareknuckle
|bare-knuck-le|
🇺🇸
/ˌbɛərˈnʌkəl/
🇬🇧
/ˌbeəˈnʌkəl/
fighting without gloves
Etymology
'bareknuckle' is a compound of the words 'bare' and 'knuckle'. 'bare' originates from Old English 'bær' meaning 'naked' or 'uncovered', and 'knuckle' originates from Old English 'cnucel' referring to the joint of the finger.
'bare' + 'knuckle' were combined in English to form phrases like 'bare-knuckled' and 'bare-knuckle' by the 18th and 19th centuries, especially in descriptions of boxing and fighting; this led to the modern compound 'bareknuckle'.
Originally a literal description meaning 'the knuckles are bare', it came to denote the specific practice of fighting without gloves and, by extension, any fierce or unrestrained contest.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a fight or bout in which participants do not wear gloves; bare-knuckle fighting or boxing.
Bareknuckle was common in that region in the 19th century.
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Adjective 1
without gloves; describing fighting or fighting style conducted with bare hands (no boxing gloves). Also used figuratively for blunt or unrestrained behavior.
They staged a bareknuckle match in the old barn.
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Last updated: 2026/01/15 17:54