something that is lost
"the car was a total loss"
"loss of livestock left the rancher bankrupt"
the disadvantage that results from losing something
"his loss of credibility led to his resignation"
"losing him is no great deprivation"
military personnel lost by death or capture
"The general ordered a retreat after our unit suffered heavy losses during the skirmish."
The result of no longer possessing an object, a function, or a characteristic due to external causes or misplacement.
"After moving houses without packing the antique vase first, I faced the painful loss of that family heirloom forever."
In plain English: Loss is when you no longer have something that you had before.
"The loss of my keys has me in a panic."
Usage: Use "loss" to describe the state of having something gone, such as losing keys, money, or a game. It refers specifically to the fact that the item is no longer in your possession rather than the act of losing it.
Alternative spelling of lost
"The old manuscript was found in a state of disrepair, but we managed to recover most of the loss from previous scans."
In plain English: To lose something means to no longer have it because you misplaced it, gave it away, or let it slip out of your possession.
"I lost my keys when I left the house in a rush."
Usage: The word "loss" is a noun and should never be used as a verb; instead, use the past tense form "lost" to describe the action of misplacing something or failing to win. Using "loss" as a verb is a common grammatical error that confuses the noun with its related verb form.
The word "loss" comes from the Old English los, which originally meant damage or destruction. It ultimately traces back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to cut or separate," reflecting its core idea of something being broken away or lost.