What does lough mean?
In modern English, a lough is a lake, especially one in Ireland. The word is strongly associated with Irish geography and appears in many familiar place names, including Lough Neagh, Lough Ree, and Lough Derg. A lough may be broad and substantial, like an inland sea, or narrow and enclosed by hills. Although “loch” is often used for a Scottish lake, “lough” serves the corresponding geographical role in Ireland and is the established form in names such as Lough Mask and Lough Gill. The word is also an archaic or dialectal way of saying “laugh,” but that use is no longer standard. Knowing lough is especially useful for reading Irish place names, discussing Irish landscapes, and recognizing a distinct regional vocabulary term that preserves part of the country’s Gaelic heritage.
A lake, especially one in Ireland.
"They spent the afternoon walking beside the lough."
Chiefly Irish in modern English and particularly common in geographical names.
To laugh.
"The audience loughed at the unexpected ending."
Archaic or dialectal; use “laugh” in contemporary standard English.
The regular plural is used for lakes in general; many individual lakes are named in the singular.
"The remote loughs of western Ireland attract walkers and birdwatchers."
Lough Neagh takes its name from the very word: it is the largest lake in the British Isles.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does lough come from?
The modern English noun developed through Middle English logh, which was borrowed from Irish loch, a word for a lake. Scots loch and lochan are related Celtic forms, while lake is a semantic cognate reflecting the same natural feature. The separate verb use, meaning “laugh,” belongs to an older dialectal tradition and is now archaic.
Related word forms
How lough is actually used
In modern standard English, lough is chiefly a geographic term used for Irish lakes and familiar from Irish place names. The verb meaning “laugh” is archaic or regional and is not part of contemporary standard usage.
Easily confused with lough
A lough is a lake, especially in Ireland, whereas a laugh is an expression of amusement or a sound of amusement.
Lough is the usual English word for an Irish lake, while loch is especially associated with Scottish lakes.