loath C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas Also spelled loth US /loʊθ/ UK /ləʊθ/ See IPA manual Minimal pairs Sounds like loaf /θ/ vs /f/ Meanings 1 adj reluctant or unwilling She was loath to leave the warmth of the fire. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 adj · reluctant or unwilling reluctantunwillingaversedisinclinedhesitantindisposed ↔ Opposites willingeagerkeenreadyinclined Word family Derived forms loathness Related forms loatheloathsomeloathing Etymology AI details From Old English lāþ ('hostile, hateful, repulsive'), from Proto-Germanic *laiþaz ('loathsome, painful'). The sense weakened to 'unwilling, reluctant'. lāþ Old English *laiþaz Proto-Germanic View etymology graph -> Topics Abstract Ideas External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # loath **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** adj **IPA (US):** /loʊθ/ **IPA (UK):** /ləʊθ/ ## Meanings 1. reluctant or unwilling ## Examples - She was loath to leave the warmth of the fire. ## Synonyms - reluctant - unwilling - averse - disinclined - hesitant - indisposed ## Antonyms - willing - eager - keen - ready - inclined ## Derived Forms - loathness ## Related Forms - loathe - loathsome - loathing ## Roots and Affixes - Root: lāþ - Root: *laiþaz ## Etymology From Old English lāþ ('hostile, hateful, repulsive'), from Proto-Germanic *laiþaz ('loathsome, painful'). The sense weakened to 'unwilling, reluctant'. ## AI Etymology Loath comes from Old English lāþ ('hostile, hateful, repulsive'), from Proto-Germanic *laiþaz ('loathsome, painful'). The sense weakened to 'unwilling, reluctant'. The etymological trail includes Old English lāþ and Proto-Germanic *laiþaz. As an adjective, loath means reluctant or unwilling. The same family is visible in derived forms such as loathness and related forms such as loathe, loathsome, and loathing. ## Topics - Abstract Ideas markdown