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Definition of loanword

loanword

/ˈloʊn.wɜːrd/
loan · word
Plural:loanwords
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loanword Lexical Profile

loanword Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A word adopted from a foreign language and incorporated into another language without translation, often with little or no modification.

Example

"The English word 'kindergarten' is a well-known loanword taken directly from German."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for loanword

Word Nuance & Usage

In linguistics, a loanword is adopted directly in form and meaning from another language (such as 'café' from French), whereas a calque (or loan translation) translates the donor expression morpheme-by-morpheme into the recipient language (as 'loanword' itself translates German 'Lehnwort').

• Nearby Words

loanee
loaner
loansharking
loanword
loath
loathe
loather

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the late 19th century as a loan translation (calque) of the German linguistic term 'Lehnwort', from 'lehnen' (to lend or borrow) and 'Wort' (word).

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Loanword. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/loanword
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