Word of the Day

: January 26, 2012

loath

adjective LOHTH

What It Means

: unwilling to do something contrary to one's way of thinking : reluctant

loath in Context

She was loath to admit her mistakes.

"Doctors are loath to testify against colleagues guilty of malpractice." -- From an article by Tammerlin Drummond in the Contra Costa Times (California), December 21, 2011

Did You Know?

Many usage commentators point out that the spelling of "loath" the adjective is distinct from "loathe," the verb that means "to dislike greatly." Merriam-Webster dictionaries record "loathe" (along with "loth") as a variant spelling for the adjective, at the same time indicating that the spelling with an "e" is not as common as the form without it. Both words hark back to Old English, and the "e" ending in each has come and gone over the centuries -- but if you want to avoid the ire of those who like to keep the language tidy, stick with "loath" for the adjective and "loathe" for the verb.