loath

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

Also spelled loth

US /loʊθ/ UK /ləʊθ/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like loaf /θ/ vs /f/

adj

Meanings

1

adj
reluctant or unwilling

She was loath to leave the warmth of the fire.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · reluctant or unwilling reluctant unwilling averse disinclined hesitant indisposed

Opposites

willing eager keen ready inclined

Word family

Derived forms loathness

Related forms loathe loathsomeloathing

Etymology

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

# 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

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loath

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