What does loof mean?
Loof is an old word for the palm of the hand, meaning the broad inner surface extending from the fingers to the wrist. It is especially associated with Scottish English and with northern English dialects, where it survives in older writing, local speech, and phrases preserved in folklore. Its appearance in literature often gives a passage a distinctly historical or regional character. In modern standard English, “palm” is normally used instead. Loof should not be confused with “loofah,” the fibrous interior of a coconut husk used in making scrubbers and bath sponges, or with the nautical term “luff,” which can refer to the leeward side of a vessel or to the forward edge of a sail. Although loof is no longer common in everyday speech, it is useful because it preserves an older division of the hand into named parts and provides a characteristic piece of Scottish vocabulary.
nounThe palm of the hand. The word is now archaic and chiefly associated with Scottish and northern English dialects.
- The palm of the hand.
"She placed the silver coin in the loof of her hand."
"He turned the coins over in the loof of his hand."
"The old expression refers to the palm, not the back, of the hand."
The plural is rare because the word itself is archaic and regional.
"The expression survives in the speech of a few older residents."
Once common in Scotland, the loof was the broad centre of the hand, the place where coins, dice, and other small objects were held.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does loof come from?
Loof developed in Middle English as loof, probably reflecting Old Norse lōfi, meaning “palm of the hand.” Old Norse lōfi is generally connected with a Germanic root associated with the leaf or broad, flat surface, reflected in English leaf. The word became especially characteristic of Scottish and northern English usage before falling out of ordinary use in standard English.
How loof is actually used
This is an archaic Scottish and northern English term. In modern English, “palm of the hand” is the standard expression.