lukewarm
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lukewarm
- /ˌl(j)uːk.ˈwɔːm/ UK
- /ˌl(j)uk.ˈwɔɹm/ US
- /ˈl(j)uk.wɔɹm/ US
Rhymes with -ɔː(ɹ)m
Where it comes from
From Middle English leukwarm, lukewarm (“lukewarm, tepid”), equivalent to luke (“lukewarm”) + warm. Compare Saterland Frisian luukwoarm (“lukewarm”), German Low German luukwarm (“lukewarm”); first element is related to Dutch leuk (“lukewarm”), as in leukwater (“lukewarm water”). Compare also West Frisian lijwarm (“lukewarm”), Afrikaans louwarm (“lukewarm”), German Low German lowarm, luwarm (“lukewarm”), German lauwarm (“lukewarm”). First element believed to be an alteration of Middle English lew (“tepid”) (> English dialectal lew), from Old English *hlēowe (“warm, sunny”), from Proto-Germanic *hliwjaz, *hlēwaz, *hlūmaz, *hleumaz (“warm”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱal(w)e-, *ḱel(w)e-, *k(')lēw- (“warm, hot”). Cognate with Dutch lauw (“tepid”), German lau (“lukewarm”), Faroese lýggjur (“warm”), Swedish ljum (“lukewarm”), ljummen (“lukewarm”) and ly (“warm”), Danish lummer (“muggy”), Danish and Norwegian lunken (“tepid”), dialectal Swedish ljummen (“lukewarm”).
adjective lukewarmer · more lukewarm · lukewarmest · most lukewarm
- Between warm and cool. Wash it in lukewarm water.
-
Unenthusiastic (about a proposal or an idea).
The suggestion met with only a lukewarm response.
Similar: indifferent, unconcerned, adiaphroistic, apathetic, apathistical, blasé, blithe, deaf, cool, shiftless, dispassionate, dull
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: tepid, halfhearted, unenthusiastic, warm, weak, half-hearted, feeble, sluggish, timid, bashful, shy, indifferent, unresponsive, grudging, negative, temperate
Translations
Every language
adj not very enthusiastic
| Español | tibio |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 冷めた sameta, 白けた shiraketa, 気が進まない ki ga susumanai |
| 中文 | 不熱情的 /不热情的, 冷淡的 |
| Português | morno |
| Français | tiède |
| Deutsch | lau |
| Italiano | tiepido |
| Ελληνικά | χλιαρός chliarós |
| Русский | прохла́дный proxládnyj, равноду́шный ravnodúšnyj, безразли́чный bezrazlíčnyj |
| Tiếng Việt | thờ ơ, lãnh đạm, hờ hững |
adj temperature
| Español | tibio |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 미지근한 mijigeunhan |
| 日本語 | ぬるい nurui, 生暖かい nama-atatakai, 生ぬるい namanurui |
| 中文 | 溫 /温 wēn, 溫吞 /温吞 wēntūn |
| हिन्दी | गुनगुना gungunā |
| Português | morno, tépido |
| Français | tiède |
| Deutsch | lauwarm |
| Italiano | tiepido |
| Ελληνικά | χλιαρός chliarós |
| Română | călduț |
| Русский | теплова́тый teplovátyj, чуть тёплый čutʹ tjóplyj |
| Tiếng Việt | ấm, âm ấm |
| العربية | فَاتِر fātir |
| עברית | פּוֹשֵׁר poshér |
Talk about this word "lukewarm." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/lukewarm. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. lukewarm. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/lukewarm "lukewarm." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/lukewarm.Cite this
@misc{lukewarm_2026,
title = {lukewarm},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/lukewarm},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
