Lukewarm

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Grammarist

Lukewarm is a word that dates back to the fourteenth century. We will examine the definition of the word lukewarm, where it came from and some examples of its use in sentences.

Lukewarm describes something that is tepid or only slightly warm, something that is neither hot nor cold. Usually, when something is described as lukewarm it is not a compliment nor is it something to be desired. By the sixteenth century the word lukewarm was also used figuratively to mean unenthusiastic, lacking zeal. The word lukewarm is in no way related to the name Luke. It is derived from the Old English word hléow which means sunny or warm, which evolved into the Middle English word lewk. The word luke was once used on its on own to mean warm, and this use survives in the word lukewarm.

Examples

SHARE prices were little changed on Tuesday as investors were lukewarm on President Duterte’s second State of the Nation Address (Sona) the Chief Executive delivered after trading hours of July 24. (The Business Mirror)

Workers assembling General Motors Co.’s Tesla fighter are taking a month off this summer amid lukewarm demand, a sign American car buyers are showing little interest in vehicles that rely solely on battery power to get from Point A to B. (The Wall Street Journal)

You can save $50 a day or more for your family simply by picking a hotel that offers you a free breakfast, and I don’t mean lukewarm coffee and a sweet roll. (The Sentinel & Enterprise)

The bandh called by Tumakuru city unit of Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday demanding the State government to release Hemavathi water to Tumakuru district evoked lukewarm response. (The Hindu)