lather

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) The foam made by rapidly stirring soap and water.
2. (countable, uncountable) Foam from profuse sweating, as of a horse.
3. (countable) A state of agitation.

Verb

1. (transitive) To cover with lather.
2. (transitive) To beat or whip.
3. (intransitive) To form lather or froth, as a horse does when profusely sweating.

Synonyms

foam

froth

scum

suds

spume

bubbles

🫧

soapsuds

cream

bubble

fret

flog

swither

whip

sweat

😓

soap

🧼

trounce

fizz

lash

welt

strap

stew

🍲

slash

foam up

cyst

frame

curd

buttermilk

freak

cumin

frig

flip

load

flame

cum

butter

🧈

flail

juice

flagellate

jizz

jism

jelly

honey

🍯

film

📽️

knock about

cowhide

layer

buff

lot

malt

head

Translations

mousse

ensaboar

🧼

zeepsop

insaponare

🧼

écume

sop

inzepen

🧼

schuim

Seifenschaum

ensabonar

enjabonar

Schaum

espuma

σαπουνίζω

savonner

🧼

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈlɑː.ðə(ɹ)/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: lather

Inherited from Old English: lēaþor

Cognate with Swedish: lödder

Cognate with Icelandic: löður

Cognate with Old Irish: lóathar

Cognate with Ancient Greek: λουτρόν

Cognate with Latin: lavō

Cognate with Albanian: laj

Cognate with Ancient Greek: λούω

Inherited from Middle English: *lethren

Inherited from Old English: lēþrian

In summary

From Middle English lather, from Old English lēaþor (“a kind of nitre used for soap, soda”), from Proto-West Germanic *lauþr, from Proto-Germanic *lauþrą (“that which is used for washing, soap”), from Proto-Indo-European *lówh₃trom (“that which is used for washing”), from *lewh₃-, *lowh₃- (“to wash, bathe”). Cognate with Swedish lödder (“lather, foam, froth, soap”), Icelandic löður (“foam, froth, a kind of niter used for soap”), Old Irish loathar (“wash-basin”), Ancient Greek λουτρόν (loutrón, “a bath, wash-room”), Latin lavō (“I wash”), Albanian laj (“I wash”), Ancient Greek λούω (loúō). More at lye.