lukewarm English · revision 2428

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˌluːkˈwɔːm/ ''(UK)''; /ˌlukˈwɔɹm/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|lukewarme]],^(RHWU) a compound of [[warm]] and Middle English ''luke'' “tepid”,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) a word of uncertain origin.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995) It may be a variant of ''lew'' “tepid”, from Old English ''hlēow'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(RHWU) and Merriam-Webster relates it to Old High German ''lāo'' “lukewarm”.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Moderately warm, tepid (late 14th century; 1373 in Barnhart).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The figurative sense, of people and their actions lacking zeal or enthusiasm, is recorded from the 1520s.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) English once used ''lukewarm'' as a noun for an unenthusiastic person (1693) and as a verb (1592).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1373 – ''luke warm'', tepid.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * about 1522 – lacking zeal or enthusiasm.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1592 – verb, to make lukewarm.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1693 – noun, an unenthusiastic person.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Mildly warm; tepid.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Lacking conviction or enthusiasm; half-hearted.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[lukewarmly]]

+ * [[lukewarmness]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lee]]

+ * [[tepid]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House lists ''half-hearted'', ''cool'' and ''apathetic'' as synonyms of the figurative sense.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}