Lukewarm

Lukewarm

Adjective · /ˌluːkˈwɔːm/

Definition

(Of liquid or food) only moderately warm; (Figuratively) showing little enthusiasm or conviction; half-hearted; moderately positive but not passionate.

Origin

From Middle English lew (warm, tepid — from Old English hlēow, warm) + warm. The luke element is from hlēow or from a related form; by the 15th century lew had already been compounded with warm to create the redundant but emphatic lukewarm. The word thus doubles the warmth concept — lukewarm being etymologically something like warm-warm or tepid-warm.