Loud

Pronunciation

• IPA: /laÊŠd/
• Rhymes: -aÊŠd

Alternative forms

• lowd obsolete

Origin

From Middle English loud, lud, from Old English hlūd ("loud, noisy, sounding, sonorous"), from Proto-Germanic *hlūþaz ("heard"), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlewtos ("heard, famous"), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlew- ("to hear"). Akin to Scots loud, lowd ("loud"), West Frisian lûd ("loud"), Dutch luid ("loud"), Low German lud ("loud"), German laut ("loud"), Irish clú ("repute"), Welsh clywed ("heard"), clod ("praise"), Latin inclutus ("famous"), Tocharian A/B klots/klautso 'ear', klyostär 'heard', Ancient Greek κλυτός (klútós, "famous"), Albanian quaj ("to name, call"), shquar ("famous, notorious"), Old Armenian լու (lu, "the act of hearing"), Old Church Slavonic слава (slava, "glory"), слово (slovo, "word"), Sanskrit श्रव (śráva, "glory"). More at listen.

Full definition of loud

Adjective

1. (of a sound) Of great intensity.
• 1898, Winston Churchill, The Celebrity Chapter 4, Mr. Cooke at once began a tirade against the residents of Asquith for permitting a sandy and generally disgraceful condition of the roads. So roundly did he vituperate the inn management in particular, and with such a loud flow of words, that I trembled lest he should be heard on the veranda.
2. Turn that music down; it's too loud.
3. (of a person, thing, event, etc.) Noisy.
• Bible, Proverbs vii. 11She is loud and stubborn.
4. a loud party that went on all night
5. (of a person, event, etc.) Not subtle or reserved, brash.
6. (of clothing, decorations, etc.) Having unpleasantly and tastelessly contrasting colours or patterns; gaudy.
   a loud style of dress;  loud colors

Synonyms

• (of clothing, etc) garish, gaudy

Antonyms

• (sound) quiet, soft
• (person) quiet

Derived terms

Adverb

1. Loudly.

Anagrams

• ludo, Ludo
• ould