lather

1 of 2

noun

lath·​er ˈla-t͟hər How to pronounce lather (audio)
1
a
: a foam or froth formed when a detergent (such as soap) is agitated in water
b
: foam or froth from profuse sweating (as on a horse)
2
: an agitated or overwrought state : dither
worked himself into a lather
lathery adjective

lather

2 of 2

verb

lathered; lathering ˈla-t͟h(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce lather (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to spread lather over
2
: to beat severely : flog

intransitive verb

: to form a lather or a froth like lather
latherer noun

Examples of lather in a Sentence

Noun The soap and water formed a lot of lather. The soap and water formed a lather. Verb He lathered his face before shaving. the farmer lathered the recalcitrant mule
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The formula also contains biotin to help address hair loss, and is lightweight and provides a nice lather. Kristine Thomason, Glamour, 20 June 2025 Washing up creates a creamy lather that isn’t slimy or off-putting, but really coats the hair and makes an impact. Kayla Blanton, People.com, 5 June 2025
Verb
Simply lather a thick coating of petroleum jelly onto the scratch. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 21 June 2025 The ones who lather themselves up over causes (see Selena Gomez’s tearful direct-to-camera confession about Trump’s deportation policies, which went viral earlier this year) to signal their virtues, and often emptily or at least confused. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 8 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for lather

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English *lather, from Old English lēathor; akin to Latin lavere to wash — more at lye

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lather was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lather.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lather. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

lather

1 of 2 noun
lath·​er ˈlat͟h-ər How to pronounce lather (audio)
1
a
: foam formed when a detergent (as soap) is stirred or shaken in water
b
: foam from sweating (as on a horse)
2
: a highly nervous or excited state : dither
worked himself into a lather

lather

2 of 2 verb
lathered; lathering ˈlat͟h-(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce lather (audio)
1
: to spread lather over
2
: to form lather or a froth like lather

More from Merriam-Webster on lather

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