Low means not high in position, level, or amount; at or near the bottom; below average. As an adjective it describes nouns (a low shelf, low prices); as an adverb it modifies verbs (bend low, fly low).
What Does Low Mean?
Low is one of the oldest and most productive words in the English language. It comes from Old English lāh, related to Old Norse lágr, and has been used in English for over a thousand years. Its core meaning — not far above the ground or a reference point — extends naturally into abstract contexts: low prices, low energy, a low voice, a low point in life.
As an adjective, low modifies nouns directly: a low ceiling, low income, low risk. As an adverb, it modifies verbs or other adverbs: She sang low, aim low. Unlike many adjectives that add -ly to become adverbs, low uses the same form. The word lowly exists, but it carries the separate meaning of humble in rank or status.
In informal British English, low is also used to describe a depressed or sad emotional state: feeling a bit low. This figurative use is very common in everyday speech and writing.
Example Sentences (A2–C1)
| Sentence | Level & usage note |
|---|---|
| The temperature was unusually low for June. | A2 — adjective describing temperature |
| The plane flew low over the mountains before landing. | A2/B1 — adverb modifying a verb of motion |
| She has been feeling quite low since she moved to a new city and lost touch with her friends. | B1 — figurative use: sad or depressed |
| The company managed to keep production costs low by renegotiating supplier contracts. | B2 — adjective in a business/economic context |
| The political climate reached its lowest ebb following a series of corruption scandals, eroding public trust in institutions. | C1 — superlative with idiomatic collocation lowest ebb |
Common Collocations
| Collocation | Example in context |
|---|---|
| low price / low cost | We offer low prices all year round. |
| low temperature | Store the medicine at a low temperature. |
| low risk | This is a low-risk investment strategy. |
| low income | The scheme supports families on low incomes. |
| low profile | After the scandal, she kept a low profile. |
| low season | Flights are cheaper in the low season. |
| low tide | We found the rock pools at low tide. |
| low voice | He spoke in a low voice so as not to wake anyone. |
| low self-esteem | Persistent criticism can lead to low self-esteem. |
| low point | That defeat was the low point of the season. |
Etymology Note
The word low derives from Old English lāh (also spelt lag), which is closely related to Old Norse lágr — still recognisable in the modern Scandinavian words låg (Swedish) and lav (Danish/Norwegian), all meaning low. The same root is preserved in Dutch laag and underpins the place name element -low found in English towns such as Ludlow, which originally denoted a hill or mound. From this single root English has built a rich family: lower, lowest, lowly, lowland, lowlife, and the prefix-style use in compounds such as low-key and low-budget.
Usage Notes
Low vs. Lowly
Low describes physical position, level, or amount. Lowly means humble in rank or social status and is mostly formal or literary: a lowly clerk, lowly origins. Do not use lowly when you mean low in a physical or quantitative sense.
Low as adverb — no “-ly” needed
Unlike most adjectives, low functions as its own adverb: She bowed low (not lowly). The same applies to high: He threw the ball high.
Common Mistakes
The ceiling is too lowly for me to stand upright.
The ceiling is too low for me to stand upright. (lowly means humble, not physically near the ground)
Prices went down to a very below level.
Prices fell to a very low level. (use low as an adjective before a noun, not below)