Loathly
/ˈləʊθli/noun
Repulsive, hateful, or unpleasant in appearance or character.
Did you know?In medieval literature, especially Chaucer’s “Wife of Bath’s Tale,” the loathly lady embodies a magical transformation in which granting her autonomy changes her appearance.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Germanic
*laiþaz
“Hateful, hostile, or offensive; the reconstructed ancestor of the word family.”
Old English
Old English
lāþ
“Hostile, hateful, harmful, or morally offensive.”
Middle English
Middle English
loþ
“Hateful, repulsive, or vile.”
14th Century
Middle English
loathly
“In a loathsome or repulsive manner; ugly or hateful.”
Modern English
English
loathly
“Repulsive, unpleasant, or hateful, now chiefly literary or archaic.”