Dictionary

bruiser en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /bɹuːzə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /bɾʉzəɾ/ (Scotland)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /bɹuzɚ/ (US)
• /bɹʉwzə/ (British, Southern, Standard)
• /bɾɪu̯zə/ (Wales)
• /bɻʉzəɻ/ (Northern-Ireland)
• /bɹʉːzə/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
• (US) audio
• [bɾʉːzəɾ] (Scotland)

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.

Meanings

1. 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.
2. (broadly, colloquial, derogatory) A tall, strong, heavily built person, usually a man, especially one prone to physical violence; a strong and tough person.
   • 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. 1977 February 12, Bruce Michael Gelbert, “Some New York Alternatives”, in Gay Community News, volume 4, number 33, page 5:
   • 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? 1895, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, chapter X, in The Stark Munro Letters: […], London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC:
   • His "assistant" was a big bruiser named Pete, who, with his enormous shoulders and menacing scowl, was clearly present for the intimidation factor.
3. A machine for bruising oats.
4. A person who enjoys arguing with others.
5. A professional boxer.
   • 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. 1906–1907, Jack London, chapter V, in Before Adam:

Forms

Deriveds

lightning bruiser

Synonyms

thug

Translations (10)

fr malabar (a heavily built person, usually a man, especially prone to physical violence) · de Schlägertyp (a heavily built person, usually a man, especially prone to physical violence) · fr gorille (a heavily built person, usually a man, especially prone to physical violence) · de Bulle (an athlete who likely will cause physical punishment) · sh rmpalija (an athlete who likely will cause physical punishment) · de Kraftmeier (an athlete who likely will cause physical punishment) · de Brutalo (a heavily built person, usually a man, especially prone to physical violence) · de Tier (an athlete who likely will cause physical punishment) · sh rmpalija (a heavily built person, usually a man, especially prone to physical violence) · de bulliger Typ (an athlete who likely will cause physical punishment)