English Vocabulary Dictionary | Word Meanings, Definitions & Examples
Rich, elaborate, or luxurious; to bestow something in generous or extravagant quantities.
"They gave her a lavish wedding reception with hundreds of guests."
a fragrant purple flowering plant used in perfumes and aromatherapy
"The lavender field filled the air with its sweet, calming fragrance."
A person honored with an award for outstanding achievement in a field, especially the arts or sciences.
"The Nobel laureate gave an inspiring lecture on peace."
clothes or linens that need to be washed or have been washed
"She folded the clean laundry neatly."
A woman whose job is washing clothes and linens.
"The laundress delivered the freshly cleaned clothes to the household."
to wash clothes, linens, etc.; or to conceal the origins of money obtained illegally
"She laundered all the dirty clothes on Sunday."
Set (something) in motion by pushing it or letting it go.
"The satellite was launched successfully."
to start or introduce something, especially a new product, service, or event
"The company launched a new app last month."
the act or sound of laughing
"The room was filled with laughter."
to make sounds and movements of the face that show amusement or joy
"They laughed loudly at the comedian's joke."
Expressing praise or admiration.
"She wrote a laudatory review of the new book."
The act of praising or expressing approval.
"The poet received much laudation for his moving verses."
Deserving praise and admiration.
"Her efforts to help the poor are truly laudable."
To praise someone or something highly, especially in public.
"The critic lauded the actor's performance as a masterpiece."
A structure of crossed strips arranged in a grid or crisscross pattern.
"The garden was decorated with a wooden lattice covered in vines."
the second of two people or things mentioned
"Between tea and coffee, I prefer the latter."
The angular distance north or south of the equator; also freedom or scope to act.
"The city lies at a high latitude close to the Arctic Circle."
Somewhat late; occurring or arriving later than usual but not very late.
"We arrived latish to the party but still caught most of the fun."
the language of ancient Rome; relating to Latin culture or language
"Many English words are derived from Latin."
A machine for shaping wood, metal, or other material by rotating it against a cutting tool.
"The carpenter used a lathe to shape the wooden bowl."
most recent in time; newest available
"She shared the latest updates with the team."
Relating to the side or sideways movement.
"The football player made a quick lateral pass."
At a time subsequent to a reference time; afterwards.
"We will discuss the details later."
Existing but not yet developed or obvious; hidden or concealed.
"She had a latent talent for music that emerged later in life."
The delay before a transfer of data begins following an instruction for its transfer.
"High latency can slow down online gaming experiences."
A large spoon for serving soup or liquids; to serve with such a spoon.
"She used a ladle to serve the hot soup into bowls."
The state of being without or not having enough of something.
"He failed the exam due to a lack of preparation."
lacking enthusiasm, energy, or determination; careless or lazy
"His lackadaisical attitude toward work annoyed his boss."
a person who is overly willing to serve or obey someone else
"He treated his assistant like a mere lackey."
not having enough of something; missing
"His report was lacking in detail."
dull, uninspiring, or not impressive
"The team's lackluster performance disappointed the fans."
using very few words; concise to the point of seeming rude or mysterious
"His laconic reply ended the conversation quickly."
the secretion of milk by the mammary glands of female mammals
"The doctor explained that lactation is a natural process after childbirth."
Relating to or resembling milk; conveying chyle or milky fluid.
"The lacteal vessels in the small intestine absorb dietary fats."
Relating to milk or lactic acid.
"Intense exercise can lead to a buildup of lactic acid in the muscles."
a boy or young man; a male youth
"The young lad helped his father in the shop."
a structure with steps used for climbing up or down
"He used a ladder to reach the roof."
A young boy or lad.
"The old man gave the young laddie a kind smile."
A free-market policy of minimal government intervention in economic affairs, characterized by non-interventionism and capitalism.
"The country adopted a laissez-faire approach to economic policies."
to criticize someone or something harshly; to reprimand severely
"The teacher lambasted the students for not completing their homework."
To criticize harshly or to beat severely.
"The coach lambasted the team for their poor performance."
a young sheep; meat from a young sheep
"The little lamb followed its mother everywhere."
A large area of water surrounded by land.
"They enjoyed boating on the lake during summer."
Ordinary members of a religious community who are not clergy.
"The church welcomed the laity to participate in the event."
A person or thing that is slow or falls behind others.
"The company has been a laggard in adopting new technology."
A polite or formal way of referring to a woman.
"The lady at the counter was very helpful."
To fall behind in movement, progress, or development; a delay or period of falling behind.
"The old computer tends to lag when running new software."
tearful or given to weeping; sad and mournful
"The movie's lachrymose ending left the audience in tears."
A small gift or bonus given by a seller to a customer.
"The shopkeeper offered a piece of candy as a lagniappe."