loft·y

(lôf′tē, lŏf′-)

adj. loft·i·er, loft·i·est

1. Of imposing height.

2. Elevated in character; exalted.

3. Affecting grandness; pompous.

4. Arrogant; haughty.

[Middle English, noble, from loft, upstairs room, sky; see loft.]

loft′i·ly adv.

loft′i·ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

lofty

(ˈlɒftɪ)

adj, loftier or loftiest

1. of majestic or imposing height

2. exalted or noble in character or nature

3. haughty or supercilious

4. elevated, eminent, or superior

ˈloftily adv

ˈloftiness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

loft•y

(ˈlɔf ti, ˈlɒf-)

adj. loft•i•er, loft•i•est.

1. extending high in the air; of imposing height; towering: lofty mountains.

2. exalted in rank, dignity, or character; eminent.

3. elevated in style, tone, or sentiment, as writings or speech.

4. arrogantly or condescendingly superior in manner; haughty.

5. noting a rig of a sailing ship having extraordinarily high masts.

[1400–50]

loft′i•ly, adv.

loft′i•ness, n.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.	1.	lofty - of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style; "an exalted ideal"; "argue in terms of high-flown ideals"- Oliver Franks; "a noble and lofty concept"; "a grand purpose" exalted, noble-minded, high-minded, idealistic, rarefied, rarified, elevated, high-flown, sublime, grand noble - having or showing or indicative of high or elevated character; "a noble spirit"; "noble deeds"
	2.	lofty - of imposing height; especially standing out above others; "an eminent peak"; "lofty mountains"; "the soaring spires of the cathedral"; "towering icebergs" towering, eminent, soaring high - (literal meaning) being at or having a relatively great or specific elevation or upward extension (sometimes used in combinations like `knee-high'); "a high mountain"; "high ceilings"; "high buildings"; "a high forehead"; "a high incline"; "a foot high"
	3.	lofty - having or displaying great dignity or nobility; "a gallant pageant"; "lofty ships"; "majestic cities"; "proud alpine peaks" majestic, proud, gallant impressive - making a strong or vivid impression; "an impressive ceremony"

lofty

adjective

1. noble, grand, distinguished, superior, imposing, renowned, elevated, majestic, dignified, stately, sublime, illustrious, exalted Amid the chaos, he had lofty aims.
noble mean, low, humble, degraded, lowly, debased

2. high, raised, towering, tall, soaring, elevated, sky-high a light, lofty apartment
high low, short, dwarfed, stunted

3. haughty, lordly, proud, arrogant, patronizing, condescending, snooty (informal), disdainful, supercilious, high and mighty (informal), toffee-nosed (slang, chiefly Brit.) the lofty disdain he often expresses for his profession
haughty warm, friendly, modest, unassuming

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

lofty

adjective

1. Imposingly high:

aerial, airy, sky-high, soaring, towering.

2. Exceedingly dignified in form, tone, or style:

elevated, eloquent, exalted, grand, high, high-flown.

3. Raised to or occupying a high position or rank:

august, elevated, exalted, grand, high-ranking.

4. Overly convinced of one's own superiority and importance:

arrogant, haughty, high-and-mighty, insolent, lordly, overbearing, overweening, prideful, proud, supercilious, superior.

Idiom: on one's high horse.

Translations

عالٍمُتَعَجْرِف، مُتَكَبِّر

povýšenýtyčící se

højhovenstorsnudet

ambitioniert hoch hochmütig pathetisch

αγέρωχος

korkea

élevé haut hautain

hárhrokafullur

elevato maestoso superbia superbo altezza

høytliggende

wysoki

ambiciosomagestoso

çok yüksekkibirli mağrur

高傲的高耸的

lofty

[ˈlɒftɪ] ADJ (loftier (compar) (loftiest (superl)))

1. (liter) (= high) [ceiling, building, tower] → alto, elevado; [mountain] → alto; [room] → de techo alto
he rose to a lofty position within the organization → ascendió a una posición elevada dentro de la organización

2. (= noble) [aim, ideal] → elevado, noble

3. (= haughty) [person, attitude] → altivo, altanero
lofty air/manner → aire m de superioridad, altivez f
lofty contempt/disdain → altivo desdén m

4. (= grandiose) [speech, pronouncement, rhetoric] → grandilocuente

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

lofty

[ˈlɒfti] adj

[sentiments, aims] → élevé(e)
lofty ideals → des idéaux élevés

(= haughty) [manner, disdain] → hautain(e)
the lofty disdain he often expresses for his profession → le dédain hautain qu'il affiche souvent pour sa profession

(= high) [ceiling] → haut(e) before n; [spire, tower, peak] → haut(e) before n; [building] → haut(e) before n; [apartment] → avec une belle hauteur sous plafond
a light, lofty apartment in the suburbs of Salzburg → un appartement lumineux, avec une belle hauteur sous plafond, dans la banlieue de Salzbourg

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

lofty

adj (+er)

(= high) → hoch; he rose to a lofty position → er stieg in eine gehobene Position auf

(= noble) ideals → hoch(fliegend); ambitions → hochfliegend; sentiments → erhaben; prose, style → erlesen, gehoben, hochtrabend (pej)

(= haughty) → stolz, hochmütig

n (inf) → Lange(r) mf (inf)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

lofty

[ˈlɒftɪ] adj (-ier (comp) (-iest (superl))) (frm) (sentiments, aims) → nobile; (haughty, manner) → di superiorità, altezzoso/a (liter) (mountain) → alto/a

loft

(loft) noun

a room or space under a roof. They kept a lot of spare furniture in the loft.

ˈlofty adjective

1. very high. a lofty building.

2. haughty or proud. a lofty attitude.

ˈloftily adverb

ˈloftiness noun

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Above him there was now nothing but the sky- the lofty sky, not clear yet still immeasurably lofty, with gray clouds gliding slowly across it.

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Like most old fashioned pulpits, it was a very lofty one, and since a regular stairs to such a height would, by its long angle with the floor, seriously contract the already small area of the chapel, the architect, it seemed, had acted upon the hint of Father Mapple, and finished the pulpit without a stairs, substituting a perpendicular side ladder, like those used in mounting a ship from a boat at sea.

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In this part of Chile there are two passes across the Andes to Mendoza: the one most commonly used, namely, that of Aconcagua or Uspallata -- is situated some way to the north; the other, called the Portillo, is to the south, and nearer, but more lofty and dangerous.

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AN EAGLE, flying down from his perch on a lofty rock, seized upon a lamb and carried him aloft in his talons.

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"I can't help that," the Man of Principle replied, with that lofty scorn of practical considerations distinguishing his species.

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As you ascend the mountains about its shores, says he, you behold this immense body of water spreading itself before you, and stretching further and further, in one wide and far-reaching expanse, until the eye, wearied with continued and strained attention, rests in the blue dimness of distance, upon lofty ranges of mountains, confidently asserted to rise from the bosom of the waters.

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From the lofty cross-beams, on long sennit strings, hung the heads of enemies taken aforetime in jungle raid and sea foray.

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how lofty, how magnificent Monsieur Athos was that day, when he said to his adversary: `You have insisted on knowing my name, sir; so much the worse for you, since I shall be obliged to kill you.' I was near him, those were his exact words, when he stabbed his foe as he said he would, and his adversary fell without saying, `Oh!' 'Tis a noble gentleman -- Monsieur Athos."

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Far off, the lofty jet of the whale might be seen, and nearer at hand the prowling shark, that villainous footpad of the seas, would come skulking along, and, at a wary distance, regard us with his evil eye.

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Naught he found too lofty, none he saw too low-- Parbati beside him watched them come and go; Thought to cheat her husband, turning Shiv to jest-- Stole the little grasshopper and hid it in her breast.

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Rich reliquary Of lofty contemplation left to Time By buried centuries of pomp and power!

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It was a poor, awkward, and clumsy organization, which stood with lowered head and supplicating eyes before a lofty and profound, a powerful and superior intellect.

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