louche

American  

[loosh] / luʃ /

adjective

1. dubious; shady; disreputable.

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louche British  

/ luːʃ /

adjective

1. shifty or disreputable

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Etymology

Origin of louche

1810–20; < French: literally, cross-eyed; Old French losche, feminine of lois < Latin luscus blind in one eye

Explanation

Someone with louche taste is decadent and flashy. It’s one thing to wear gold around your neck as jewelry, but louche to have all your teeth capped in the precious metal just for the heck of it. Louche is an adjective that describes something “of questionable taste or morality" but is also kind of attractive. It comes from the French louche, which also means “squinting,” and that word comes from the Latin lusca, meaning “one-eyed.” Imagine a louche pirate with an eye patch that you just can't turn away from. It's pronounced like a little kid trying to say "loose," like "loosh." You can also use louche in place of words like decadent, shady, and sinister.

Example Sentences

At night, Frank haunts a louche cafe that caters to petty crooks.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Thin slices of toasted pound cake work surprisingly well, and feel a little louche in a good way.

From Salon • Jul. 29, 2025

Bold flower prints, jaunty sailor hats, and a louche suiting mix with chunky boots and letterman jackets.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2024

He was literary, like others of his family, and louche like punk London.

From BBC • Dec. 2, 2023

Her descent and her diamonds are alike immaculate, but her character?—he is too old-fashioned a Briton not to think it very probable that there is something louche there.

From A House-Party Don Gesualdo and A Rainy June by Ouida