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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
it was a seedy neighborhood of louche nightclubs
Recent Examples on the Web
Presiding over it all alongside Goldberg as the elder statesman is camp impresario John Waters, who plays the louche Persian cat Armando — a role model for Kevin’s new, mostly post-human existence.
—
Alison Herman, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Instead, The Standard, Ibiza, presents itself as a bolthole for an in-the-know, sophisticated, and louche crowd that wants a bit of buzz but without any over-the-top hoopla.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Mar. 2026
Like Corsair in Nashville, Gate Eleven offers tours, absinthe history and, of course, louche ceremonies.
—David Cook, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2026
As the Times’ David Fahrenthold told CNN, the louche role of some tech billionaires in the Epstein scandal is particularly chilling because our lives in the coming years will be defined by these billionaires.
—Maureen Dowd, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for louche
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Alison Herman, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Instead, The Standard, Ibiza, presents itself as a bolthole for an in-the-know, sophisticated, and louche crowd that wants a bit of buzz but without any over-the-top hoopla.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Mar. 2026
Like Corsair in Nashville, Gate Eleven offers tours, absinthe history and, of course, louche ceremonies.
—David Cook, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2026
As the Times’ David Fahrenthold told CNN, the louche role of some tech billionaires in the Epstein scandal is particularly chilling because our lives in the coming years will be defined by these billionaires.
—Maureen Dowd, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for louche
Cite this Entry
“Louche.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/louche. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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