Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “loathe” come from?

Loathe descends from Middle English lothe, Old English lāþian, and Proto-Germanic laiþōną, meaning to feel disgust or aversion toward something.

loathe (English): To detest, hate, revile

Definitions

  1. To detest, hate, revile

Ancestry of “loathe”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishlothe—
2Old Englishlāþian—
3Proto-Germaniclaiþōną—

Words derived from “loathe”

  • loatheth
  • loather
  • loathable
  • loathe-worthy
Every word from Proto-Germanic laiþōną →