loathsome
/ˈloʊθ.səm/
adjective
Origin
Old English
lāþ — hateful, hostile, repugnant
Overview
Meaning Now
- Causing hatred or disgust; repulsive.
Literal older meaning
full of loathing or aversion
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
laðsum
Earliest period
12th century
Journey
The word is derived from the Old English 'lāþ', which originally signified something causing injury or hostility. Over time, the meaning shifted from a sense of active enmity to a psychological state of intense aversion or disgust.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*laiþaz
“hateful, hostile”
- Old English
lāþ
“hateful, offensive”
- Middle English
laðsum
“causing aversion”
Connections
Word parts
loath
root
hateful, repugnant
-some
suffix
characterized by, tending to
Related across languages
Old High German
leid
painful, hateful
Old Norse
leiðr
loathed, hated
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.