lukewarm
/ˌl(j)uk.ˈwɔɹm/adjective
lukewarm is spelled L-U-K-E-W-A-R-M: 8 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 1.2 times per million words in written English, the 25,751st most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, lukewarm means “Between warm and cool” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in lukewarm?
| Letters | 8: L-U-K-E-W-A-R-M |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 1.2 times per million words; the 25,751st most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is lukewarm?
Lukewarm appears 1.2 times per million words in written English, the 25,751st most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce lukewarm?
- UK /ˌl(j)uːk.ˈwɔːm/
- US /ˌl(j)uk.ˈwɔɹm/
- US /ˈl(j)uk.wɔɹm/
Lukewarm has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-lukewarm.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with lukewarm?
10 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as lukewarm from its last stressed vowel (/ɔɹm/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of lukewarm
- lukewarmer comparative
- more lukewarm comparative
- lukewarmest superlative
- most lukewarm superlative
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does lukewarm mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Between warm and cool.
Wash it in lukewarm water.
- 2
Unenthusiastic (about a proposal or an idea).
The suggestion met with only a lukewarm response.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Lukewarm in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does lukewarm come from?
From Middle English leukwarm, lukewarm (“lukewarm, tepid”), equivalent to luke (“lukewarm”) + warm. Compare Saterland Frisian luukwoarm (“lukewarm”), German Low German luukwarm (“lukewarm”); first element is related to Dutch leuk (“lukewarm”), as in leukwater (“lukewarm water”). Compare also West Frisian lijwarm (“lukewarm”), Afrikaans louwarm (“lukewarm”), German Low German lowarm, luwarm (“lukewarm”), German lauwarm (“lukewarm”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).