lousy

the word "lousy" originates from the old english noun for the parasitic insect, "lūs". by the late 14th century, the adjective "lousy" was formed by adding the common adjectival suffix "-y", literally meaning "infested with lice". this literal sense of being unclean and undesirable provided a powerful metaphor, leading to its figurative use by the mid-15th century to describe anything of very poor quality or contemptible character. the modern, more generalized meanings of "very bad" or "abundant in" (as in "lousy with mistakes") evolved directly from this association with infestation and undesirability.

Structure: lous(e) (infested with lice) + y (adjective-forming suffix) "louse" is from old english "lūs" (plural "lȳs"), of germanic origin. the suffix "-y" is from old english "-ig", used to form adjectives meaning "characterized by" or "full of".