The term 'loathsome thing' can be summed up as an ANATHEMA, which is an 8-letter word meaning something that is detested or cursed. It is often used to describe a person or thing that is considered to be so bad or evil that it is shunned or avoided. ANATHEMA is derived from the Greek word 'ANATHEMA', which means 'something devoted to evil'. In Christianity, it is used to refer to a person or thing that has been excommunicated or cursed by the church.