lough
Americannoun
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a lake.
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a partially landlocked or protected bay; a narrow arm of the sea.
noun
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an Irish word for lake 1
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a long narrow bay or arm of the sea in Ireland
Etymology
Origin of lough
1505–15; Anglo-Irish spelling of Irish loch lake; compare Middle English low, lough ( e ), logh ( e ), Old English (Northumbrian) lūh < British Celtic *lux- (> Welsh llwch (obsolete) lake, Old Breton luh, Breton louc’h ), apparently < early Irish; see loch
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Nicole Minogue, who was at the event, said she feels the lough is undervalued.
From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026
Scientists have previously analysed the lough bed and found deep scarring.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
However, it is likely to be several years before these or any of the other potential solutions could become active, or have a direct impact on the lough.
From BBC • Sep. 9, 2025
The meeting follows a third summer of blue-green algae blooms, which have covered the lough.
From BBC • Sep. 9, 2025
We’d fish for eels and fry them in a pan not like Cuchulain, who would pluck them from the lough and swallow them, wriggling, because there’s great power in an eel.
From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
