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Louche ultimately comes from the Latin word luscus, meaning "blind in one eye" or "having poor sight." This Latin term gave rise to the French louche, meaning "squinting" or "cross-eyed." The French gave their term a figurative sense as well, taking that squinty look to mean "shady" or "devious." English speakers didn't see the need for the sight-impaired uses when they borrowed the term in the 19th century, but they kept the figurative one. The word is still quite visible today and is used to describe both people and things of questionable repute.
Examples of louche in a Sentence
Jon Pareles, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025
Dolce & Gabbana showcased beautiful examples in their Spring/Summer 2025 show this past June, as did Amiri, offering another glimpse at a more sartorially louche future.
—Caroline Reilly, Robb Report, 4 Oct. 2024
Here, the anxieties of the past all hang together in louche reconciliation.
—Christina Catherine Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2023
Wearing what can best be described as discoball coords, Rih delivered a masterclass in the louche way to do December dressing.
—Alice Newbold, Glamour, 2 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for louche
Cite this Entry
“Louche.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/louche. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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