A Scottish Gaelic word for a lake or a partially enclosed arm of the sea, especially in Scotland. Famous examples include Loch Ness and Loch Lomond.
From Scottish Gaelic loch and Irish loch, both from Proto-Celtic *loku meaning 'lake'. Related to Latin lacus (lake) and English 'lake'. The word entered English through contact with Celtic speakers in Scotland and Ireland.
The mysterious Loch Ness Monster has made 'loch' one of the most internationally recognized Scottish Gaelic words, even though Scotland has over 30,000 lochs! The pronunciation varies - Scots often use a guttural 'ch' sound like German 'ach', while English speakers usually say it like 'lock'.
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