loch

noun

ˈläk How to pronounce loch (audio) ˈläḵ How to pronounce loch (audio)
Synonyms of lochnext
1
Scotland : lake
2
Scotland : a bay or arm of the sea especially when nearly landlocked

Synonyms of loch

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Examples of loch in a Sentence

in his biography of Samuel Johnson, James Boswell tells of being conducted by a Scottish boatman “across one of the lochs, as they call them, or arms of the sea”
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Shorebirds feed at the lochs’ edges, and upland raptors soar over the moors. — Alexandra Marvar, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026 In the show’s two-hour series premiere, host Alan Cumming welcomed 22 appropriately bloodthirsty competitors to his Scottish castle and immediately threw them into the deep end of the loch. — Hunter Ingram, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026 This is a landscape of lochs and mountains, best viewed from a cozy railcar, on a train that coddles just 36 passengers on an all-inclusive journey. — Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 17 June 2026 The sprawling coastal property encompasses roughly 3,700 acres of pastureland, woodlands, lochs, and more than three miles of dramatic shoreline. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for loch

Word History

Etymology

Middle English (Scots) louch, from Scottish Gaelic loch; akin to Latin lacus lake — more at lake

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of loch was in the 15th century

Rhymes for loch

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Browse Nearby Words

locellus
loch
Lochaber ax
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Cite this Entry

“Loch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loch. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

loch

noun
ˈläk How to pronounce loch (audio) ˈläḵ How to pronounce loch (audio)
1
Scottish : lake
2
Scottish : an arm of the sea especially when it is nearly surrounded by land
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