Word of the Day

: May 8, 2015

louche

adjective LOOSH

What It Means

: not reputable or decent

louche in Context

The man was nicely dressed but had a hard-boiled, louche look about him that raised suspicion.

"However louche Los Angeles' image may be, it remains a puritanical city in a puritanical state. California caps the number of bar licenses … at one for every 2,000 residents. That number hasn't changed since 1939…." - Josh Stephens, Los Angeles Times, April 9, 2015

Did You Know?

Louche ultimately comes from the Latin word luscus, meaning "blind in one eye" or "having poor sight." This Latin term gave rise to the French louche, meaning "squinting" or "cross-eyed." The French gave their term a figurative sense as well, taking that squinty look to mean "shady" or "devious." English speakers didn't see the need for the sight-impaired uses when they borrowed the term in the 19th century, but they kept the figurative one. The word is still quite visible today and is used to describe both people and things of questionable repute.