loathsomeness

L1O1A1T1H4S1O1M3E1N1E1S1S1

noun

The nature or property that gives rise to revulsion or inspires loathing.

Scrabble 18

Meanings

nounloathsomeness (countable and uncountable, plural loathsomenesses)

plural loathsomenesses

  1. uncountableThe nature or property that gives rise to revulsion or inspires loathing.

    Must putrefaction's breath / Leave nothing of this heavenly sight / But loathsomeness and ruin?

    1813, Percy Bysshe Shelley, “Canto I”, in Queen Mab; […], London: […] P. B. Shelley, […], →OCLC, page 2
    1 more example

    For my part I would rather counſell you to deſtroy your Rattes and Miſe with Traps, Banes, or Weeſels: for beſides the ſluttiſhneſſe ⁊ lothſomeneſſe of the Catte (you know what ſhe layes in the Malt heape) ſhe is moſt daungerous and pernicious among children, as I mee ſelf haue had good experience.

    1577, Conradus Heresbachius [i.e., Konrad Heresbach], compiler, “The Third Booke, of Feeding, Breeding, and Curing of Cattell”, in Barnabe Googe, transl., Fovre Bookes of Husbandry, […]: Conteyning the Whole Arte and Trade of Husbandry, with the Antiquitie, and Commendation thereof. […], London: […] Richard Watkins, →OCLC, folio 156, verso
  2. countableA loathsome thing.

    H. P. Lovecraft After it raced the naked, tittering, phosphorescent thing that belonged on the carven pedestal, and still farther behind panted the dark men, and all the dread crew of sentient loathsomenesses. The corpse was gaining on its pursuers …

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe quality of being disgusting to the senses or emotions

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Middle Englishlothsomnesse
  2. Englishloathsomeness

From Middle English lothsomnesse, loþsumnes, lathsumnes; equivalent to loathsome + -ness.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

loathsomeness. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/loathsomeness

MLA

“loathsomeness.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/loathsomeness. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “loathsomeness,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/loathsomeness.

Source: loathsomeness on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.