Word
lather
Phoneticslath·er, stress on the first syllable
/ˈɫæðɝ/
Countable & uncountable
Definition
n. a thick, soapy foam that you get when you rub soap or shampoo into your skin or hair.
n. a thick, frothy mass of soap and water produced by agitation. Often used in the context of personal hygiene or industrial cleaning.
Examples
“He rubbed the soap until his hands were full of lather.”
“The mechanic used a high-pressure sprayer to create a thick lather before washing the car.”
“The chef found that the eggs whipped much more easily once the lather from the previous dishwashing had been rinsed away from the stainless steel bowl.”
Examples
simple
“He rubbed the soap until his hands were full of lather.”
contextual
“The mechanic used a high-pressure sprayer to create a thick lather before washing the car.”
complex
“The chef found that the eggs whipped much more easily once the lather from the previous dishwashing had been rinsed away from the stainless steel bowl.”
Real-World Examples
“The underarm region no doubt gets the full lather, rinse, repeat treatment.” Etymology
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.
From Middle English lethren, from Old English lēþrian, lȳþrian, līeþrian (“to anoint, smear, lather”), from Old English lēaþor (“a kind of niter used for soap, soda”). See above.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. lathered up
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944EikenEikenTest in Practical English ProficiencyThe English proficiency test from the Eiken Foundation of Japan, widely taken by Japanese students. Grades run from 5 to 1, with Pre-1 and Pre-2 between them.Pre-1
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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