Online Etymology Dictionary

loo (1): "lavatory," 1940, but perhaps 1922, probably from Fr. lieux d'aisances, "lavatory," lit. "place of ease," picked up by British servicemen in France during World War I. Or possibly a pun on Waterloo, based on water closet.
loo (2): "type of card game," 1675, short for lanterloo, from Fr. lanturelau, originally the refrain of a song.
loofah: 1887, from Egyptian Arabic lufah, the name of the plant (Luffa ægyptiaca) with fibrous pods from which flesh-brushes are made.
look (v.): O.E. locian "see, gaze, look, spy," from W.Gmc. *lokjan (cf. O.S. lokon, M.Du. loeken, O.H.G. luogen, Ger. dial. lugen "to look out"), of unknown origin, perhaps cognate with Bret. lagud "eye." In O.E., usually with on; the use of at began 14c. Meaning "to have a certain appearance" is from c.1400. Noun meaning "an act of looking" is c.1200; meaning "appearance of a person" is from c.1385. To look down upon in the fig. sense is from 1711; to look down one's nose is from 1921; looker "attractive woman" is from 1893; look-see (n.) "inspection" first recorded 1883. In look sharp (1711) sharp originally was an adv. "sharply." Look after "take care of" is from 1375; look into "investigate" is from 1586; to not look back "make no pauses" is colloquial, first attested 1893. Look up "research in books or papers" is from 1692. Look-alike (n.) "someone who closely resembles another" is 1947, Amer.Eng. Looking-glass first attested 1526. Look-out "person who stands watch or acts as a scout" is from 1699.
loom (n.): O.E. geloma "utensil, tool," from ge- perfective prefix + -loma, of unknown origin. Originally "implement or tool of any kind" (cf. heirloom); thus, "the penis" (c.1400-1600). Meaning "a machine in thich yarn or thread is woven into fabric" is from 1404.
loom (v.): 1542, perhaps from a Scand. source (cf. dial. Swed. loma, E.Fris. lomen "move slowly"), perhaps a variant from the root of lame (adj.); first used of ships.
loon (1): "diving bird" (esp. the Great Northern Diver), 1634, from a Scand. source (cf. Norw. lom, from O.N. lomr).
loon (2): "crazy person," c.1450, lowen "rascal," of uncertain origin, perhaps related to Du. loen "stupid person."
loony: 1853, Amer.Eng., short for lunatic, but also infl. by loon (2), which is noted for its wild cry and method of escaping from danger. Slang loony bin "insane asylum" is from 1919. Looney left in ref. to holders of political views felt to be extreme is from 1977.
loop: c.1390, probably of Celtic origin (cf. Gael. lub "bend," Ir. lubiam), influenced by O.N. hlaup "a leap, run." In ref. to magnetic recording tape or film, first recorded 1931. Computer programming sense first attested 1947. The verb meaning "to form a loop" is first recorded 1856. Looped "drunk" is from 1934; loopy "crazy" is from 1925. To loop the loop (1902) originally was a stunt of bicycle-riding.
loophole: 1464, from M.E. loupe "opening in a wall" (c.1300), perhaps related to M.Du. lupen "to watch, peer;" + hole. Figurative sense of "outlet, means of escape" is from 1663.
loose (adj.): c.1300, from O.N. lauss "loose, free, vacant, dissolute," cognate with O.E. leas "devoid of, false, feigned, incorrect," from P.Gmc. *lausaz (cf. Dan. løs "loose, untied," M.Du., Ger. los, Goth. laus), from PIE *lau-/*leu- "to loosen, divide, cut apart" (see lose). The verb is first recorded early 13c., "to set free." Sense of "unchaste, immoral" is recorded from late 15c. Figurative sense of loose cannon was in use by mid-20c.
loot (n.): 1788, Anglo-Indian, from Hindi lut, from Skt. lota-m "booty, stolen property." The verb is first attested 1842, from the noun.
lop (1): "cut off," 1519, from M.E. loppe (n.) "small branches and twigs trimmed from trees" (c.1420), of unknown origin.
lop (2): "droop," 1578, probably a variant of lap (v.); cf. lopsided (1711), originally lapsided, first used of ships.
lope: "to run with long strides," c.1825; earlier "to leap, jump, spring" (1483), from O.N. hlaupa "to run, leap," from same Gmc. root as leap and gallop.
loquacious: 1667, from stem of L. loquax (gen. loquacis) "talkative," from loqui "to speak," of unknown origin. Loquacity is much earlier (12c.), from L. loquacitatem "talkativeness," from loquax.
loquitur: stage direction, "he or she speaks," from L., third person pres. indic. sing. of loqui "to talk."
lord: M.E. laverd, loverd (13c.), from O.E. hlaford "master of a household, ruler, superior," also "God" (translating L. Dominus, though O.E. drihten was used more often), earlier hlafweard, lit. "one who guards the loaves," from hlaf "bread, loaf" + weard "keeper, guardian, ward." Cf. lady, and O.E. hlafæta "household servant," lit. "loaf-eater." Modern monosyllabic form emerged 14c. The verb meaning "to play the lord, domineer" is from late 14c.; to lord it is from 1570s. Interjection Lordy first attested 1853, Amer.Eng. Lord of the Flies translates Beelzebub (q.v.) and was name of 1954 book by William Golding.
lore: O.E. lar "learning, what is taught, knowledge, doctrine," from P.Gmc. *laizo (O.H.G. lera, O.Fris. lare, Du. leer, Ger. Lehre), from *lais- (see learn).
lorelei: 1878, name of a rock in the River Rhine near Koblenz, Germany. In legend, a lovely woman sat atop it and sang while combing her long blond hair, distracting sailors so their ships foundered on the rock and they drowned.
lorn: "lost, ruined" (archaic), c.1300, from O.E. loren, pp. of leosan "to lose" (see lose).
Lorraine: region in eastern France, from M.L. Lotharingia, lit. "Lothar's Realm," name later given to the northern portion of the lands assigned by the Treaty of Verdun (843 C.E.) to Lothair I in the first division of the Carolingian empire. His empire stretched from the North Sea to the Mediterranean. Before his death (855 C.E.), Lothair subdivided his lands among his three sons. His son, Lothair (for whom the region is named), was given Lotharingia as his kingdom.
lorry: "A truck, a long, flat wagon," 1838, British railroad word, probably from verb lurry "to pull, tug," of uncertain origin. Meaning "large motor vehicle for carrying goods" is first attested 1911.
lose: O.E. losian "be lost, perish," from los "destruction, loss," from P.Gmc. *lausa (cf. O.N. los "the breaking up of an army"), from PIE base *leu- "to loosen, divide, cut apart, untie, separate" (cf. Skt. lunati "cuts, cuts off," lavitram "sickle;" Gk. lyein "to loosen, untie, slacken," lysus "a loosening;" L. luere "to loose, release, atone for"). Replaced related leosan (a class II strong verb whose pp. loren survives in forlorn and love-lorn), from P.Gmc. *leusanan (cf. O.H.G. virliosan, Ger. verlieren, O.Fris. urliasa, Goth. fraliusan "to lose"). Transitive sense of "to part with accidentally" is from c.1200. Meaning "to be defeated" (in a game, etc.) is from 1530s. To lose (one's) mind "become insane" is attested from c.1500. To lose out "fail" is 1858, Amer.Eng.
loser: "a destroyer," mid-14c., from lose (q.v.). Sense of "one who suffers loss" is from 1540s; meaning "horse that loses a race" is from 1902; "convicted criminal" is from 1912; "hapless person" is 1955 student slang.
loss: O.E. los "loss, destruction," from P.Gmc. *lausam- (see lose). The modern word, however, probably evolved 14c. from lost, the original pp. of lose. Phrase at a loss (1592) originally refers to hounds losing the scent. To cut one's losses is from 1912.
lost (adj.): "defeated" (c.1300), "wasted, spent in vain," c.1500; also "no longer to be found" (1526), from the pp. of lose (q.v.). Lost Cause in ref. to the Southern U.S. bid for independence is from the title of E.A. Pollard's history of the CSA and the rebellion (1866). Lost Generation in ref. to the period 1914-18 first attested 1926 in Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises," where he credits it to Gertrude Stein.
lot: O.E. hlot "object (anything from dice to straw, but often a chip of wood with a name inscribed on it) used to determine someone's share," also "what falls to a person by lot," from P.Gmc. *khlutom (cf. O.N. hlutr "lot, share," O.H.G. hluz "share of land," O.E. hleotan "to cast lots, to foretell"), of unknown origin. The object was placed with others in a receptacle, which was shaken, the winner being the one that fell out first. Hence, to cast lots. In some cases the lots were drawn by hand. The word was adopted from Gmc. into the Romanic languages (cf. lottery, lotto). Meaning "choice resulting from the lasting of lots" first attested c.1200. Sense of "plot of land" is first recorded 1630s (distribution of the best property in new settlements often determined by casting lot), that of "group, collection" is 1725, from notion of auction lots. The generalized sense of "great many" is first attested in 1812. To cast (one's) lot with another is to agree to share winnings.
lothario: "lady-killer," 1756, from principal male character of Nicholas Rowe's "The Fair Penitent" (1703). The name is the It. form of O.H.G. Hlothari, Hludher (whence Ger. Luther), lit. "famous warrior," from O.H.G. lut (see loud) + heri "host, army."
lotion: c.1400, from O.Fr. lotion, from L. lotionem (nom. lotio) "a washing," from lotus, popular form of lautus, pp. of lavere "to wash" (see lave).
lottery: 1567, "arrangement for a distribution of prizes by chance," from It. lotteria, from same root as O.E. hlot (see lot).
lotto: 1778, "type of card game," from It. lotto "a lot," from O.Fr. lot "lot," from Frank. (cf. O.E., O.Fris. hlot, see lot). Meaning "a lottery" is attested from 1787.
lotus: c.1540, from L. lotus, from Gk. lotos, name used for several plants before it came to mean Egyptian white lotus (a sense attested in Eng. from 1584); perhaps from a Sem. source (cf. Heb. lot "myrrh"). The yogic sense is attested from 1848. Lotus-eaters (1832) are from Gk. lotophagoi, mentioned in "Odyssey," book IX.
loud (adj.): O.E. hlud "making noise, sonorous," from W.Gmc. *khluthaz "heard" (cf. O.Fris. hlud, M.Du. luut, Du. luid, O.H.G. hlut, Ger. laut "loud"), from PIE pp. *klutos- (cf. Skt. srutah, Gk. klytos "heard of, celebrated," Arm. lu "known," Welsh clod "praise"), from base *kleu- "to hear" (see listen). The adv. is from O.E. hlude, from P.Gmc. *khludai. Application to colors first recorded 1849. Loudmouth (n.) first recorded 1934. Loudspeaker is from 1884.
lough: early 14c., "a lake," Anglo-Celtic, representing a northern form of Ir. and Gale. loch, Welsh llwch.
Louis: masc. proper name, from Fr. Louis, from O.Fr. Loois, probably via M.L. Ludovicus from O.H.G. Hluodowig (Ger. Ludwig), lit. "famous in war," from P.Gmc. *hluda- "heard of, famous" (see loud) + *wiga "war." Louis Quatorze (1855) refers to styles reminiscent of the time of King Louis XIV of France (1643-1715).
lounge (v.): 1508, from Scot., of uncertain origin, perhaps from Fr. s'allonger (paresseusement) "to lounge about, lie at full length," from O.Fr. alongier "lengthen," from L. longus "long." Another etymology traces it through obsolete lungis (n.) "slow, lazy person" (c.1560), from M.Fr. longis, a generic application of Longinus, supposed to be the name of the centurion who pierced Christ's side with a spear in John xix.34. Popular etymology associated the name with long (adj.). The noun in the sense of "comfortable drawing room" is first recorded 1881; in the sense of "couch on which one can lie at full length," 1830. Lounge lizard is from 1912, originally in reference to men who hung around in tea rooms to flirt.
lour: "to frown," late 13c., variant of lower (v.2).
louse: O.E. lus, "parasitic insect infecting human hair and skin," from P.Gmc. *lus (cf. O.N., M.Du., O.H.G. lus, Ger. Laur). Slang meaning "obnoxious person" is from 1630s. The plural lice (O.E. lys) shows effects of i-mutation. Lousy is late 14c. lousi "infested with lice;" figurative use as a generic term of abuse dates from late 14c.; sense of "swarming with" (money, etc.) is Amer.Eng. slang from 1843. The verb meaning "to clear of lice" is from mid-15c.; to louse up "ruin, botch" first attested 1934.
lout (n.): 1548, "awkward fellow, clown, bumpkin," perhaps from dialectal derivative of O.E. verb lutan "bow low," from P.Gmc. *leut- "to bow, bend, stoop" (cf. O.N. lutr "stooping"), from PIE *leud- "to lurk" (cf. Goth. luton "to deceive," O.E. lot "deceit), also "to be small" (see little). Non-Gmc. cognates probably include Lith. liudeti "to mourn;" O.C.S. luditi "to deceive," ludu "foolish." Sense of "cad" is first attested 1857 in British schoolboy slang.
louver: 1367, "domed turret-like structure atop a building to disperse smoke and admit light," from O.Fr. lovier, of uncertain origin. One theory connects it to M.L. *lodarium, which might be from a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. louba "upper room, roof;" see lobby). Another suggests it is from Fr. l'ouvert, lit. "the open place," from le, definite article, + pp. of ouvrir "to open." Meaning "overlapping strips in a window (to let in air but keep out rain)" first recorded 1555. The form has been influenced by unrelated Fr. Louvre, the name of the palace in Paris, which is said to be so named because its builder, Philip Augustus, intended it as a wolf kennel.
love (n.): O.E. lufu "love, affection, friendliness," from P.Gmc. *lubo (cf. O.Fris. liaf, Ger. lieb, Goth. liufs "dear, beloved;" not found elsewhere as a noun, except O.H.G. luba, Ger. Liebe), from PIE *leubh- "to care, desire, love" (cf. L. lubet, later libet "pleases;" Skt. lubhyati "desires;" O.C.S. l'ubu "dear, beloved;" Lith. liaupse "song of praise"). Meaning "a beloved person" is from early 13c. The sense "no score" (in tennis, etc.) is 1742, from the notion of "playing for love," i.e. "for nothing" (1670s). Love-letter is attested from mid-13c.; love-song from early 14c. To be in love with (someone) is from c.1500. Love life "one's collective amorous activities" is from 1919, originally a term in psychological jargon. Phrase make love is attested from 1580 in the sense "pay amorous attention to;" as a euphemism for "have sex," it is attested from c.1950. Love child "child born out of wedlock," first attested 1805, from earlier love brat (17c.). Lovesick is attested from 1530; lovelorn from 1630s (see lose). Phrase for love or money "for anything" is attested from 1580s. To fall in love is attested from early 15c. The phrase no love lost (between two people) is ambiguous and was used 17c. in ref. to two who love each other well (c.1640) as well as two who have no love for each other (1620s).
love (v.): O.E. lufian, from P.Gmc. *lubojanan, from root of love (n.). Love-hate (adj.) "ambivalent" is from 1937, originally a term in psychological jargon.
love apple: "tomato," 1578, corresponding to Fr. pomme d'amour, Ger. liebesapfel, but the reason for the term remains obscure. One guess is that it is a corruption of It. pomo de'Mori or Sp. pome dei Moro, lit. "Moorish apple."
love bird: 1595, "small species of W.African parrot, noted for the remarkable attention mating pairs pay to one another;" fig. sense of "a lover" is attested from 1911.
"Hold hands, you lovebirds." [Emil Sitka]
lovelonging: c.1300, luue langing, from love (n.) + inf. of long (v.).
lovely: O.E. luflic "affectionate, loveable," the modern sense of "lovable on account of beauty, attractive" is from c.1300, "applied indiscriminately to all pleasing material objects, from a piece of plum-cake to a Gothic cathedral" [Marsh].
low (adj.): M.E. lah (mid-12c.), from O.N. lagr "low," from P.Gmc. *lægaz (cf. O.Fris. lech, Du. laag, Ger. läge "low"), lit. "that which is lying flat;" related to O.E. licgan (see lie (v.)). Meaning "humble in rank" is from c.1200; "undignified" is from 1550s; sense of "dejected, dispirited" is attested from 1737. In reference to sounds, it is attested from early 15c. In geographical usage, it refers to the part of a country near the sea-shore (c.1300; cf. Low Countries "Holland, Belgium, Luxemburg," 1540s). Low-down "vulgar" is from 1888.
low (v.): O.E. hlowan "make a noise like a cow," from P.Gmc. *khlo- (cf. M.Du. loeyen, O.H.G. hluojen), from onomatopoeic PIE base *kla- (see claim).