loser
UK: ˈluːzə | US: ˈluːzər
n. a person or thing that loses or has lost something
n. (informal) a person who fails frequently or is generally unsuccessful
n. (slang) a person regarded as contemptible, unfashionable, or socially awkward
The word "loser" originates from the verb "lose," which traces back to Old English losian (to perish, destroy) and Proto-Germanic lausijaną (to loosen, release). The suffix "-er" is an agentive suffix in English, indicating "one who does or undergoes something." By the 14th century, "loser" emerged to describe someone who suffers loss, later evolving into its modern informal and slang senses (19th–20th centuries) to emphasize failure or social ineptitude. The logic follows: "one who loses" → "habitual failure" → "social outcast."
He was labeled a loser after losing the chess tournament.
Don’t call yourself a loser—everyone fails sometimes.
The team’s star player refused to be a sore loser.
In high school, she felt like a loser for not fitting in.
The movie’s protagonist starts as a loser but becomes a hero.