low

English

/ləʊ/, /loʊ/, /ləʊ/, /loʊ/, /laʊ/, /ləʊ/, /loʊ/

adj
Definitions
  • Situated close to, or even below, the ground or another normal reference plane; not high or lofty.
  • Of less than normal height; below the average or normal level from which elevation is measured.
  • Not high in status, esteem or rank, dignity, or quality. Compare m
  • Humble, meek, not haughty.
  • Disparaging; assigning little value or excellence.
  • Being a nadir, a bottom.
  • Depressed in mood, dejected, sad.
  • Lacking health or vitality, strength or vivacity; feeble; weak.
  • Small, not high (in amount or quantity, value, force, energy, etc).
  • (especially in) Simple in complexity or development; (in several set phrases) favoring simplicity; (see e.g. low church (low church), ).
  • (in several set phrases) Being near the equator.
  • (acoustics) Grave in pitch, due to being produced by relatively slow vibrations (wave oscillations); flat.
  • Quiet; soft; not loud.
  • (phonetics) Made with a relatively large opening between the tongue and the palate; made with (part of) the tongue positioned low in the mouth, relative to the palate.
  • (card games) Lesser in value than other cards, denominations, suits, etc.
  • (now) Not rich or seasoned; offering the minimum of nutritional requirements; plain, simple.
  • (of an) Designed for a slow (or the slowest) speed.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English lowe derived from Old Norse lágr (low) derived from Proto-Germanic *lēgaz (low, situated near the ground, flat, lying) derived from Proto-Indo-European *legʰ- (lie, lie down, lay, be situated, recline, resting place, put down).

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*legʰ-

Gloss

lie, lie down, lay, be situated, recline, resting place, put down

Concept
Semantic Field

Basic actions and technology

Ontological Category

Action/Process

Emoji
🤥

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms