loud

louder; loudest

The adjective loud describes a noise that has a very high volume, like loud music at a concert that kept your ears ringing even after you left.

The word loud comes from the Old English word hlud, which means "making noise, sonorous."Loud is most often used to describe the volume level of music, but it can also refer to voices or other sounds that are unpleasant and high-volumed. Loud can also describe a tasteless or showy fashion choice, like a loud Hawaiian shirt paired with bright orange shorts.