loser
/ˈluːzər/
noun
Origin
English
lose — to suffer the loss of; to be deprived of
Overview
Meaning Now
- A person or thing that loses or has lost.
- A person who is perceived as unsuccessful, especially one who fails to meet social or economic standards.
- A person who frequently fails.
Literal older meaning
one who loses
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
losere
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The term originated from the verb 'lose', which stems from the Old English 'losian' (to perish or be lost). Originally, 'loser' simply described someone who lost a game or a possession. By the mid-20th century, particularly in American English, the term underwent pejoration, evolving from a neutral description of defeat into a social label for someone considered a failure or an outcast.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*leus-
“to loosen, divide, cut apart”
- Proto-Germanic
*lausjaną
“to release, set free”
- Old English
losian
“to perish, be lost”
- Middle English
losere
“one who suffers loss”
- Modern English
loser
“one who fails or is defeated”
developed derogatory sense in the 20th century
Connections
Word parts
lose
root
to fail to win or retain
-er
suffix
agentive suffix indicating a person or thing that performs an action
Related across languages
Old Norse
los
dissolution, loosening
German
verlieren
to lose
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Related to loser
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.