In Appalachian and Southern speech, "lousy" means bad, worthless, or pitiful. Originally it meant "infested with lice," from the word "louse," but it came to describe anything unpleasant or sorry.
That’s a lousy excuse for supper - cold beans and burnt cornbread. Folks use "lousy" for anything pitiful or no good.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
That’s a lousy excuse for supper - cold beans and burnt cornbread. Folks use "lousy" for anything pitiful or no good.
Pronunciation
[LOW-zee]
Meaning & Usage
- Pitiful, poor quality (adjective)
At the table
Mae:
This is a lousy meal.
Earl:
Well, it’s all we got.
- Infested with lice (adjective, older)
Talking about kids in the schoolhouse
Mae:
Them young’uns came home lousy with nits.
Earl:
Best boil them sheets.
★ "Lousy" today just means pitiful or bad, but its bite comes from its old meaning - crawling with lice. That’s about as sorry as it gets. ★
Origin and Etymology
From Old English *lūs* (louse). Originally "lousy" meant "lice-ridden." By the 19th century, it had broadened in American speech to mean "bad" or "worthless." Appalachian English kept both the literal and figurative senses alive.
Usage Notes
Still common across Appalachia and the South, though it’s also widespread in standard English. The "lice" meaning is older but still understood, especially among older speakers. Today it’s most often just another way to say "sorry" or "pitiful."
Created by The Hillbilly Dude, this site is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more...
That’s a lousy excuse for supper - cold beans and burnt cornbread. Folks use "lousy" for anything pitiful or no good. 
