# loach

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈləʊt͡ʃ/ · frequency rank #56,879

## Definitions
1. A bottom-feeding freshwater fish in the superfamily or suborder Cobitoidea.
2. A bottom-feeding freshwater fish in the superfamily or suborder Cobitoidea.

## Etymology
From Middle English loche, from Old French loche, further origin uncertain, possibly from Vulgar Latin *laukka (“loach”), which could be from Gaulish *leuca (“loach, slug”), also attested as the feminine name Leuca, from leux (“bright, light”), a reference to slugs' bright appearance, the fish later being associated due to similarities to the slug.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/loach