Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “loathsome” come from?

Loathsome comes from Middle English lothsum, meaning repulsive or disgusting.

loathsome (English): Highly offensive; abominable, sickening

Definitions

  1. Highly offensive; abominable, sickening

Ancestry of “loathsome”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishlothsum—
2Old English*lāþsum—

Words derived from “loathsome”

  • loathsomeness
  • loathsomely
  • unloathsome
  • unloathsomeness
Every word from Old English *lāþsum →