Dictionary

lough en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /lɒk/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /lɑx/ (General-American) in some rare cases realized as [lɑç]
• /lɒx/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /lɔː/ (Ireland)
• /lɑx/ (Ireland)
• (English, Southern) audio
• /lɑk/ (General-American)

Etymology

Borrowed from Irish loch (from Old Irish loch), from Proto-Celtic *loku (“lake, pool”), from Proto-Indo-European *lókus (“pond, pool”). Doublet of lay, loch, and Looe.

Meanings

1. (Ireland) A lake or long, narrow inlet, especially in Ireland.
   • Outside, a freezing wind whips across Belfast lough […]. 2009 January 26, Henry McDonald, “It's got fancy flats, a hotel. Even a bank. But can the Titanic Quarter stay afloat?”, in The Guardian:
   • A study showing that the temperature of the lough’s water has risen 1C since 1995, however, suggests that climate change and clearer waters as a result of an invasive zebra mussel species may also be contributing factors. 2023 August 23, Tommy Greene, “Lough Neagh ‘dying in plain sight’ due to vast algal blooms”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

Forms

Deriveds

Lough Swilly · Strangford Lough · Lough Neagh · Lough Gill · Lough Erne · Lough Allen · Lough Foyle

Synonyms

loch

lough en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /lɒf/ (UK)

Etymology

From Middle English lough, logh, luh, borrowed from Cumbric *luch, derived from Proto-Brythonic *lux, from Proto-Celtic *lokus (“lake, pool”).

Meanings

1. (Cumbria, Northumbria) lake, pool

Forms