lofty
adjUK /ˈlɒfti/ · US /ˈlɔːfti/
Etymology From Middle English lofty, lofti, lofte (“of high rank; noble; ornate”), equivalent to loft (“sky, firmament; upper room”) + -y.
1
High, tall, having great height or stature.
- The lofty mountains roſe faint to the ſight and loſt their foreheads in the diſtant ſkies: the little hills, cloathed in darker green and ſkirted with embroidered vales, diſcovered the ſecret haunts of kids and bounding roes.1769, Firishta, translated by Alexander Dow, Tales translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi, volume I, Dublin: P. and W. Wilson et al., page iv:
- On my left was a river, which came roaring down from a range of lofty mountains right before me to the south-east.1862, George Borrow, chapter 98, in Wild Wales, archived from the original on 24 Dec 2011:
1 more example
- When the night was half spent, I rose and walked on, till the day broke in all its beauty and the sun rose over the heads of the lofty hills and athwart the low gravelly plains.1885, Richard F. Burton, “Night 551”, in The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night:
2
Idealistic, implying over-optimism.
- a lofty goal
- A goal from Steven Caulker, just after the hour mark, was enough to hand victory to Malky Mackay's men, with Swansea falling some way short of the lofty standards they have set previously at this level.3 November 2013, Delme Parfitt, “Cardiff City 1 - 0 Swansea City: Steven Caulker heads Bluebirds to South Wales derby win”, in Wales Online:
1 more example
- He reiterated his lofty goals “to make life multiplanetary.”2026 June 12, Bernard Condon, “SpaceX stock soars in debut and makes Elon Musk the first trillionaire”, in AP News, archived from the original on 12 Jun 2026:
3
Extremely proud; arrogant; haughty.
- that lofty pity with which prosperous folk are apt to remember their grandfathers1886, Frederic Harrison, The Choice of Books: