Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

loathe

/ˈloʊð/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.11 in modern English

Syllables
loathe
IPA
/ˈloʊð/
9
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
1
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To detest, hate, or revile (someone or something).

Transitive verb

verb

To induce or inspire disgust (in a person)

Obsolete

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English lothe, from Old English lāþian, from Proto-West Germanic *laiþēn, from Proto-Germanic *laiþāną. Cognate with Old Norse leiðask ( > Danish ledes, Icelandic leiðast, all reflexive), German Leid.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: lothe, lāþian, *laiþēn, *laiþāną

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈloʊð/
  • British English: /ˈləʊð/

Usage

Inflected Forms

loathes (present, singular) loathing (participle, present) loathed (participle, past) loathed (past) loath (alternative)

Derived Forms

loathable loather loathing loathsome

Phrases

loathe-worthy self-loathing

Frequently Paired Words

loath loth

Synonyms

abhor abominate despise execrate

Rhymes With

clothe bothe rothe grothe kothe betroth unclothe

Questions

How do you pronounce loathe?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈloʊð/.
What does loathe mean?
To detest, hate, or revile (someone or something).
Where does loathe come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce loathe

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “loathe”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈloʊð/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “loathe”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “loathe” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.