adj
lousy
LOW-zee
adj
1
Very poor in quality; remarkably bad.
"The service at that restaurant was lousy."
"He gave a lousy excuse for being late."
2
Informal: feeling unwell or in low spirits.
"I've had a cold all week and feel lousy."
3
Infested with lice.
"The old blankets were lousy and had to be burned."
How to Use Lousy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBad, poor-quality, or (informally) feeling ill.
When to use it
Very common in casual speech; avoid in formal writing.
Common pairings
lousy weather
feel lousy
a lousy job
Word Forms
lousier comparative, lousiest superlative
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Etymology
From Middle English lousy, literally "infested with lice," which broadened over time into a general insult meaning "bad" or "worthless."