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Lough

/lɒx/ · noun

Place Names All-Ireland

A lake or sea inlet. Used in place names throughout Ireland, marking the landscape with linguistic history.

EXAMPLE USAGE

"We spent the day sailing on Lough Erne, lovely and calm it was."

ETYMOLOGY

From Irish "loch" (lake), cognate with Scottish Gaelic "loch."

HISTORICAL NOTES

One of the most visible Irish words in English, appearing in countless place names: Lough Neagh, Lough Corrib, Lough Derg. The pronunciation reveals its Irish origin.

RELATED WORDS

lakeloch