LOATH
What does "LOATH" mean?
Reluctant or unwilling to do something.
Meanings
- Unwilling; reluctant (usually followed by 'to' and a verb). She was loath to leave the warm house on such a cold morning. formal
Did you know?
- 'Loath' and 'loathe' split from the same Old English root meaning 'hateful' - one stayed an adjective ('I'm loath to go'), the other became the verb for active disgust.
Word origin
From Old English 'lath' (hateful, hostile), of Germanic origin; the modern sense softened from 'hateful' to merely 'unwilling'. Distinct from the verb 'loathe' (to detest).
Remember it
LOATH (no E) is the adjective; add an E for 'loathe', the verb - the extra E is the extra effort of actively hating something.
A little poem
Loath to rise, I watch the grey light grow-
the will says go, the body answers no.
couplet
What it teaches
Reluctance is honest counsel: notice what you are loath to do before you decide whether to do it.
Quick facts
What does LOATH mean?
Reluctant or unwilling to do something.
Is LOATH a valid word?
Yes — LOATH is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is LOATH?
LOATH has 5 letters and 1 syllable.
Where does LOATH come from?
From Old English 'lath' (hateful, hostile), of Germanic origin; the modern sense softened from 'hateful' to merely 'unwilling'. Distinct from the verb 'loathe' (to detest).
What can LOATH teach us?
Reluctance is honest counsel: notice what you are loath to do before you decide whether to do it.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.