11 letter word starting with l

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Words Parts of Speech Meaning/Definition/Similar Words
labefaction noun The act of labefying or making weak; the state of being weakened; decay; ruin.
labidometer noun A forceps with a measuring attachment for ascertaining the size of the fetal head.
labiodental adjective Formed or pronounced by the cooperation of the lips and teeth, as f and v., A labiodental sound or letter.
labradorite noun A kind of feldspar commonly showing a beautiful play of colors, and hence much used for ornamental purposes. The finest specimens come from Labrador. See Feldspar.
labyrinthal adjective Pertaining to, or resembling, a labyrinth; intricate; labyrinthian.
labyrinthic adjective Alt. of Labyrinthical
lacertilian adjective & noun Same as Lacertian.
lacertiloid adjective Like or belonging to the Lacertilia.
lace-winged adjective Having thin, transparent, reticulated wings; as, the lace-winged flies.
lachrymable adjective Lamentable.
laciniolate adjective Consisting of, or abounding in, very minute laciniae.
laconically adverb In a laconic manner.
lactescence noun The state or quality of producing milk, or milklike juice; resemblance to milk; a milky color., The latex of certain plants. See Latex.
lactiferous adjective Bearing or containing milk or a milky fluid; as, the lactiferous vessels, cells, or tissue of various vascular plants.
lactoabumin noun The albumin present on milk, apparently identical with ordinary serum albumin. It is distinct from the casein of milk.
lactucarium noun The inspissated juice of the common lettuce, sometimes used as a substitute for opium.
lady-killer noun A gallant who captivates the hearts of women.
lady’s comb An umbelliferous plant (Scandix Pecten-Veneris), its clusters of long slender fruits remotely resembling a comb.
lady’s hair A plant of the genus Briza (B. media); a variety of quaking grass.
lady’s seal The European Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum verticillatum)., The black bryony (Tamus communis).
laemodipoda noun pl. A division of amphipod Crustacea, in which the abdomen is small or rudimentary and the legs are often reduced to five pairs. The whale louse, or Cyamus, and Caprella are examples.
lambskinnet noun See Lansquenet.
lamellicorn adjective Having antennae terminating in a group of flat lamellae; — said of certain coleopterous insects., Terminating in a group of flat lamellae; — said of antennae., A lamellicorn insect.
lamelliform adjective Thin and flat; scalelike; lamellar.
lamentation noun The act of bewailing; audible expression of sorrow; wailing; moaning., A book of the Old Testament attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, and taking its name from the nature of its contents.
lamentingly adverb In a lamenting manner.
lammergeier noun A very large vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), which inhabits the mountains of Southern Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. When full-grown it is nine or ten feet in extent of wings. It is brownish black above, with the under parts and neck rusty yellow; the forehead and crown white; the sides of the head and beard black. It feeds partly on carrion and partly on small animals, which it kills. It has the habit of carrying tortoises and marrow bones to a great height, and dropping them on stones to obtain the contents, and is therefore called bonebreaker and ossifrage. It is supposed to be the ossifrage of the Bible. Called also bearded vulture and bearded eagle.
lamplighter noun One who, or that which, lights a lamp; esp., a person who lights street lamps., The calico bass.
lacasterian adjective Of or pertaining to the monitorial system of instruction followed by Joseph Lancaster, of England, in which advanced pupils in a school teach pupils below them.
lanceolated adjective Rather narrow, tapering to a point at the apex, and sometimes at the base also; as, a lanceolate leaf.
lancepesade noun An assistant to a corporal; a private performing the duties of a corporal; — called also lance corporal.
lanciferous adjective Bearing a lance.
lancinating present participle & vb. noun of Lanciname, Piercing; seeming to pierce or stab; as, lancinating pains (i.e., severe, darting pains).
lancination noun A tearing; laceration.
landgravine noun The wife of a landgrave.
landlordism noun The state of being a landlord; the characteristics of a landlord; specifically, in Great Britain, the relation of landlords to tenants, especially as regards leased agricultural lands.
landlouping adjective Vagrant; wandering about.
landscapist noun A painter of landscapes.
langteraloo noun An old game at cards. See Loo (a).
langue d’oc The dialect, closely akin to French, formerly spoken south of the Loire (in which the word for “yes” was oc); Provencal.
languishing present participle & vb. noun of Languish, Becoming languid and weak; pining; losing health and strength., Amorously pensive; as, languishing eyes, or look.
laniariform adjective Shaped like a laniary, or canine, tooth.
lapidarious adjective Consisting of stones.
lapidescent adjective Undergoing the process of becoming stone; having the capacity of being converted into stone; having the quality of petrifying bodies., Any substance which has the quality of petrifying other bodies, or of converting or being converted into stone.
lapidifical adjective Forming or converting into stone.
lapidifying present participle & vb. noun of Lapidify
lapillation noun The state of being, or the act of making, stony.
lap-jointed adjective Having a lap joint, or lap joints, as many kinds of woodwork and metal work.
large-acred adjective Possessing much land.
largifluous adjective Flowing copiously.
lark’s-heel noun Indian cress.
larviparous adjective Depositing living larvae, instead of eggs; — said of certain insects.
larypgismus noun A spasmodic state of the glottis, giving rise to contraction or closure of the opening.
laryngology noun Systematized knowledge of the action and functions of the larynx; in pathology, the department which treats of the diseases of the larynx.
laryngotome noun An instrument for performing laryngotomy.
laryngotomy noun The operation of cutting into the larynx, from the outside of the neck, for assisting respiration when obstructed, or for removing foreign bodies.
lasciviency noun Lasciviousness; wantonness.
latchstring noun A string for raising the latch of a door by a person outside. It is fastened to the latch and passed through a hole above it in the door.
lateritious adjective Like bricks; of the color of red bricks.
lath-shaped adjective Having a slender elongated form, like a lath; — said of the feldspar of certain igneous rocks, as diabase, as seen in microscopic sections.
latibulized imp. & past participle of Latibulize
laticostate adjective Broad-ribbed.
latidentate adjective Broad-toothed.
latifoliate adjective Alt. of Latifolious
latifolious adjective Having broad leaves.
latirostral adjective Alt. of Latirostrous
latirostres noun pl. The broad-billed singing birds, such as the swallows, and their allies.
latisternal adjective Having a broad breastbone, or sternum; — said of anthropoid apes.
latitudinal adjective Of or pertaining to latitude; in the direction of latitude.
latreutical adjective Acting as a hired servant; serving; ministering; assisting., Of or pertaining to latria.
latticework noun Same as Lattice, n., 1.
laudability noun Laudableness; praiseworthiness.
laughworthy adjective Deserving to be laughed at.
lauriferous adjective Producing, or bringing, laurel.
lavoltateer noun A dancer of the lavolta.
law-abiding adjective Abiding the law; waiting for the operation of law for the enforcement of rights; also, abiding by the law; obedient to the law; as, law-abiding people.
leadhillite noun A mineral of a yellowish or greenish white color, consisting of the sulphate and carbonate of lead; — so called from having been first found at Leadhills, Scotland.
leaf-footed adjective Having leaflike expansions on the legs; — said of certain insects; as, the leaf-footed bug (Leptoglossus phyllopus).
lean-witted adjective Having but little sense or shrewdness.
leaseholder noun A tenant under a lease.
leatherback noun A large sea turtle (Sphargis coriacea), having no bony shell on its back. It is common in the warm and temperate parts of the Atlantic, and sometimes weighs over a thousand pounds; — called also leather turtle, leathery turtle, leather-backed tortoise, etc.
leatherette noun An imitation of leather, made of paper and cloth.
leatherhead noun The friar bird.
leatherneck noun The sordid friar bird of Australia (Tropidorhynchus sordidus).
leatherwood noun A small branching shrub (Dirca palustris), with a white, soft wood, and a tough, leathery bark, common in damp woods in the Northern United States; — called also moosewood, and wicopy.
lecanomancy noun divination practiced with water in a basin, by throwing three stones into it, and invoking the demon whose aid was sought.
lectureship noun The office of a lecturer.
left-handed adjective Having the left hand or arm stronger and more dexterous than the right; using the left hand and arm with more dexterity than the right., Clumsy; awkward; unlucky; insincere; sinister; malicious; as, a left-handed compliment., Having a direction contrary to that of the hands of a watch when seen in front; — said of a twist, a rotary motion, etc., looked at from a given direction.
legerdemain noun Sleight of hand; a trick of sleight of hand; hence, any artful deception or trick.
legibleness noun The state or quality of being legible.
legionaries plural of Legionary
legislating present participle & vb. noun of Legislate
legislation noun The act of legislating; preparation and enactment of laws; the laws enacted.
legislative adjective Making, or having the power to make, a law or laws; lawmaking; — distinguished from executive; as, a legislative act; a legislative body., Of or pertaining to the making of laws; suitable to legislation; as, the transaction of legislative business; the legislative style.
legislatrix noun A woman who makes laws.
legislature noun The body of persons in a state or kingdom invested with power to make and repeal laws; a legislative body.
legitimated imp. & past participle of Legitimate
legitimized imp. & past participle of Legitimize
leiotrichan adjective Of or pertaining to the Leiotrichi., One of the Leiotrichi.
leipothymic adjective See Lipothymic.
lengthening present participle & vb. noun of Lengthen
lengthiness noun The state or quality of being lengthy; prolixity.
lentiginose adjective Bearing numerous dots resembling freckles.
lentiginous adjective Of or pertaining to lentigo; freckly; scurfy; furfuraceous.
leopardwood noun See Letterwood.
lepidoptera noun pl. An order of insects, which includes the butterflies and moths. They have broad wings, covered with minute overlapping scales, usually brightly colored.
lepidosiren noun An eel-shaped ganoid fish of the order Dipnoi, having both gills and lungs. It inhabits the rivers of South America. The name is also applied to a related African species (Protopterus annectens). The lepidosirens grow to a length of from four to six feet. Called also doko.
leptocardia noun pl. The lowest class of Vertebrata, including only the Amphioxus. The heart is represented only by a simple pulsating vessel. The blood is colorless; the brain, renal organs, and limbs are wanting, and the backbone is represented only by a simple, unsegmented notochord. See Amphioxus.
leptodactyl noun A bird or other animal having slender toes.
leptostraca noun pl. An order of Crustacea, including Nebalia and allied forms.
lethargical adjective Pertaining to, affected with, or resembling, lethargy; morbidly drowsy; dull; heavy.
lethargized imp. & past participle of Lethargize
lethiferous adjective Deadly; bringing death or destruction.
letterpress noun Print; letters and words impressed on paper or other material by types; — often used of the reading matter in distinction from the illustrations.
leucaniline noun A colorless, crystalline, organic base, obtained from rosaniline by reduction, and also from other sources. It forms colorless salts.
leucopyrite noun A mineral of a color between white and steel-gray, with a metallic luster, and consisting chiefly of arsenic and iron.
leucorrhoea noun A discharge of a white, yellowish, or greenish, viscid mucus, resulting from inflammation or irritation of the membrane lining the genital organs of the female; the whites.
leucosphere noun The inner corona.
leviratical adjective Of, pertaining to, or in accordance with, a law of the ancient Israelites and other tribes and races, according to which a woman, whose husband died without issue, was married to the husband’s brother.
levirostres noun pl. A group of birds, including the hornbills, kingfishers, and related forms.
levitically adverb After the manner of the Levites; in accordance with the levitical law.
lexigraphic adjective Of or pertaining to lexigraphy.
lexipharmic adjective See Alexipharmic.
liabilities plural of Liability
libelluloid adjective Like or pertaining to the dragon flies.
liberalized imp. & past participle of Liberalize
liberalizer noun One who, or that which, liberalizes.
libertarian adjective Pertaining to liberty, or to the doctrine of free will, as opposed to the doctrine of necessity., One who holds to the doctrine of free will.
liberticide noun The destruction of civil liberty., A destroyer of civil liberty.
libertinage noun Libertinism; license.
libertinism noun The state of a libertine or freedman., Licentious conduct; debauchery; lewdness., Licentiousness of principle or opinion.
libethenite noun A mineral of an olive-green color, commonly in orthorhombic crystals. It is a hydrous phosphate of copper.
licheniform adjective Having the form of a lichen.
lichenology noun The science which treats of lichens.
lick-spigot noun A tapster.
liedertafel noun A popular name for any society or club which meets for the practice of male part songs.
lieutenancy noun The office, rank, or commission, of a lieutenant., The body of lieutenants or subordinates.
life-giving adjective Giving life or spirit; having power to give life; inspiriting; invigorating.
life-saving adjective That saves life, or is suited to save life, esp. from drowning; as, the life-saving service; a life-saving station.
ligamentous adjective Composing a ligament; of the nature of a ligament; binding; as, a strong ligamentous membrane.
light-armed adjective Armed with light weapons or accouterments.
lighthouses plural of Lighthouse
ligniferous adjective Yielding or producing wood.
like-minded adjective Having a like disposition or purpose; of the same mind.
lilliputian noun One belonging to a very diminutive race described in Swift’s “Voyage to Lilliput.”, A person or thing of very small size., Of or pertaining to the imaginary island of Lilliput described by Swift, or to its inhabitants., Of very small size; diminutive; dwarfed.
lilly-pilly noun An Australian myrtaceous tree (Eugenia Smithii), having smooth ovate leaves, and panicles of small white flowers. The wood is hard and fine-grained.
lily-handed adjective Having white, delicate hands.
limitaneous verb t. Of or pertaining to a limit.
limitedness noun The quality of being limited.
lingeringly adverb With delay; slowly; tediously.
lingoa wood Amboyna wood.
linguacious adjective Given to the use of the tongue; loquacious.
linguistics noun The science of languages, or of the origin, signification, and application of words; glossology.
link motion A valve gear, consisting of two eccentrics with their rods, giving motion to a slide valve by an adjustable connecting bar, called the link, in such a way that the motion of the engine can be reversed, or the cut-off varied, at will; — used very generally in locomotives and marine engines.
lion’s foot A composite plant of the genus Prenanthes, of which several species are found in the United States., The edelweiss.
lion’s leaf A South European plant of the genus Leontice (L. leontopetalum), the tuberous roots of which contain so much alkali that they are sometimes used as a substitute for soap.
lion’s tail A genus of labiate plants (Leonurus); — so called from a fancied resemblance of its flower spikes to the tuft of a lion’s tail. L. Cardiaca is the common motherwort.
lipocephala noun pl. Same as Lamellibranchia.
lipothymous adjective Pertaining, or given, to swooning; fainting.
liquefiable adjective Capable of being changed from a solid to a liquid state.
liquescency noun The quality or state of being liquescent.
liquidambar noun A genus consisting of two species of tall trees having star-shaped leaves, and woody burlike fruit. Liquidambar styraciflua is the North American sweet qum, and L. Orientalis is found in Asia Minor., The balsamic juice which is obtained from these trees by incision. The liquid balsam of the Oriental tree is liquid storax.
liquidamber noun See Liquidambar.
liquidating present participle & vb. noun of Liquidate
liquidation noun The act or process of liquidating; the state of being liquidated.
liquidizing present participle & vb. noun of Liquidize
lirelliform adjective Like a lirella.
liriodendra plural of Liriodendron
literalized imp. & past participle of Literalize
literalizer noun A literalist.
literalness noun The quality or state of being literal; literal import.
lithargyrum noun Crystallized litharge, obtained by fusion in the form of fine yellow scales.
lithodomous adjective Like, or pertaining to, Lithodomus; lithophagous.
lithofellic adjective Pertaining to, or designating, a crystalline, organic acid, resembling cholic acid, found in the biliary intestinal concretions (bezoar stones) common in certain species of antelope.
lithogenesy noun The doctrine or science of the origin of the minerals composing the globe.
lithogenous adjective Stone-producing; — said of polyps which form coral.
lithography noun The art or process of putting designs or writing, with a greasy material, on stone, and of producing printed impressions therefrom. The process depends, in the main, upon the antipathy between grease and water, which prevents a printing ink containing oil from adhering to wetted parts of the stone not covered by the design. See Lithographic limestone, under Lithographic.
lithologist noun One who is skilled in lithology.
lithophytic adjective Of or pertaining to lithophytes.
lithotomist noun One who performs the operation of cutting for stone in the bladder, or one who is skilled in the operation.
lithotripsy noun The operation of crushing a stone in the bladder with an instrument called lithotriptor or lithotrite; lithotrity.
lithotritor A lithotriptor.
lithotyping present participle & vb. noun of Lithotype
litigiously adverb In a litigious manner.
litterateur noun One who occupies himself with literature; a literary man; a literatus.
little-ease noun An old slang name for the pillory, stocks, etc., of a prison.
liver-grown adjective Having an enlarged liver.
lixiviating present participle & vb. noun of Lixiviate
lixiviation noun Lixiviating; the process of separating a soluble substance form one that is insoluble, by washing with some solvent, as water; leaching.
loathliness noun Loathsomeness.
lobe-footed adjective Lobiped.
localitiees plural of Locality
lochaber ax Alt. of Lochaber axe
lock stitch A peculiar sort of stitch formed by the locking of two threads together, as in the work done by some sewing machines. See Stitch.
loculicidal adjective Dehiscent through the middle of the back of each cell; — said of capsules.
locust tree A large North American tree of the genus Robinia (R. Pseudacacia), producing large slender racemes of white, fragrant, papilionaceous flowers, and often cultivated as an ornamental tree. In England it is called acacia.
loellingite noun A tin-white arsenide of iron, isomorphous with arsenopyrite.
logarithmic adjective Alt. of Logarithmical
loggerheads noun The knapweed.
logicalness noun The quality of being logical.
logodaedaly noun Verbal legerdemain; a playing with words.
logographer noun A chronicler; one who writes history in a condensed manner with short simple sentences., One skilled in logography.
logographic adjective Alt. of Logographical
logomachist noun One who contends about words.
loiteringly adverb In a loitering manner.
longanimity noun Disposition to bear injuries patiently; forbearance; patience.
long-horned adjective Having a long horn or horns; as, a long-horned goat, or cow; having long antennae, as certain beetles (Longicornia).
longicornia noun pl. A division of beetles, including a large number of species, in which the antennae are very long. Most of them, while in the larval state, bore into the wood or beneath the bark of trees, and some species are very destructive to fruit and shade trees. See Apple borer, under Apple, and Locust beetle, under Locust.
longimanous adjective Having long hands.
longinquity noun Greatness of distance; remoteness.
longipennes noun pl. A group of longwinged sea birds, including the gulls, petrels, etc.
longiroster noun One of the Longirostres.
long primer A kind of type, in size between small pica and bourgeois.
long-tongue noun The wryneck.
long-winded adjective Long-breathed; hence, tediously long in speaking; consuming much time; as, a long-winded talker.
loosestrife noun The name of several species of plants of the genus Lysimachia, having small star-shaped flowers, usually of a yellow color., Any species of the genus Lythrum, having purple, or, in some species, crimson flowers.
lophobranch adjective Of or pertaining to the Lophobranchii., One of the Lophobranchii.
lophosteons plural of Lophosteon
lotus-eater noun Alt. of Lotos-eater
lotos-eater noun One who ate the fruit or leaf of the lotus, and, as a consequence, gave himself up to indolence and daydreams; one of the Lotophagi.
loud-voiced adjective Having a loud voice; noisy; clamorous.
love-making noun Courtship.
low-studded adjective Furnished or built with short studs; as, a low-studded house or room.
loxodromics noun The art or method of sailing on the loxodromic or rhumb line.
loxodremism noun The act or process of tracing a loxodromic curve; the act of moving as if in a loxodromic curve.
lubrication noun The act of lubricating; the act of making slippery.
lubricitate verb i. See Lubricate.
lucernarian adjective Of or pertaining to the Lucernarida., One of the Lucernarida.
lucernarida noun pl. A division of acalephs, including Lucernaria and allied genera; — called also Calycozoa., A more extensive group of acalephs, including both the true lucernarida and the Discophora.
lucratively adverb In a lucrative manner.
lucriferous adjective Gainful; profitable.
lucubration noun The act of lucubrating, or studying by candlelight; nocturnal study; meditation., That which is composed by night; that which is produced by meditation in retirement; hence (loosely) any literary composition.
lucubratory adjective Composed by candlelight, or by night; of or pertaining to night studies; laborious or painstaking.
lumbaginous adjective Of or pertaining to lumbago.
lumbosacral noun Of or pertaining to the loins and sacrum; as, the lumbosacral nerve, a branch of one of the lumber nerves which passes over the sacrum.
lunicurrent adjective Having relation to changes in currents that depend on the moon’s phases.
lussheburgh noun A spurious coin of light weight imported into England from Luxemburg, or Lussheburgh, as it was formerly called.
lute-backed adjective Having a curved spine.
lutheranism noun Alt. of Lutherism
luxuriantly adverb In a luxuriant manner.
luxuriating present participle & vb. noun of Luxuriate
luxuriation noun The act or process luxuriating.
lycanthrope noun A human being fabled to have been changed into a wolf; a werewolf., One affected with lycanthropy.
lycanthropy noun The supposed act of turning one’s self or another person into a wolf., A kind of erratic melancholy, in which the patient imagines himself a wolf, and imitates the actions of that animal.
lychnoscope noun Same as Low side window, under Low, a.
lycotropous adjective Campylotropous.
lyencephala noun pl. A group of Mammalia, including the marsupials and monotremes; — so called because the corpus callosum is rudimentary.
lymphangial adjective Of or pertaining to the lymphatics, or lymphoid tissue; lymphatic.
lymphogenic adjective Connected with, or formed in, the lymphatic glands.