loch

noun

ˈläk  ˈläḵ 

1

Scotland : lake

2

Scotland : a bay or arm of the sea especially when nearly landlocked

Synonyms of loch

• bay
• estuary
• firth
• cove

Examples of loch in a Sentence

in his biography of Samuel Johnson, James Boswell tells of being conducted by a Scottish boatman “across one of the lochs, as they call them, or arms of the sea”

Recent Examples on the Web

The mammals thrive across habitats from inland rivers and lochs to rugged coastal environments. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026

Curling is a game of tradition, first played centuries ago on Scottish lochs, where players slide heavy granite rocks down a sheet of ice toward a target. — Pien Huang, NPR, 11 Feb. 2026

This is a landscape of lochs and mountains, best viewed from a cozy railcar, on a train that coddles just 36 passengers on an all-inclusive journey. — Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 17 June 2026

First there’s the outdoor activities on offer—from paddle boarding on the loch to mountain biking in the surrounding forest to golf. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English (Scots) louch, from Scottish Gaelic loch; akin to Latin lacus lake — more at lake

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for loch

• balk
• baulk
• bloc
• bock
• broch
• brock
• calk
• caulk
• chalk
• chock
• clock
• cock

Kids Definition

loch

noun

ˈläk  ˈläḵ 

1

Scottish : lake

2

Scottish : an arm of the sea especially when it is nearly surrounded by land