English spellings/Catalogs/L

The metadata subpage is missing. You can start it via filling in this form or by following the instructions that come up after clicking on the [show] link to the right.

Do you see this on PREVIEW? then SAVE! before following a link. To find out more about the use of metadata for the management of Citizendium pages, see CZ:Metadata. You may see this box for one of two reasons. Either: A - New page has been created, or subpages template was added to an existing page B - Cluster move is in progress Click either the A or B link for further instructions. [Feel free to recommend improvements to the text or links in this template] A - For a New Cluster use the following directions Subpages format requires a metadata page. Using the following instructions will complete the process of creating this article's subpages. Click the blue "metadata template" link below to create the page. On the edit page that appears paste in the article's title across from "pagename =". You might also fill out the checklist part of the form. Ignore the rest. For background, see Using the Subpages template Don't worry--you'll get the hang of it right away. Remember to hit Save! the "metadata template". However, you can create articles without subpages. Just delete the {{subpages}} template from the top of this page and this prompt will disappear. :) Don't feel obligated to use subpages, it's more important that you write sentences, which you can always do without writing fancy code. [Feel free to recommend improvements to the text or links in this template] B - For a Cluster Move use the following directions The metadata template should be moved to the new name as the first step. Please revert this move and start by using the Move Cluster link at the top left of the talk page. The name prior to this move can be found at the following link. [Feel free to recommend improvements to the text or links in this template]

---

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M	N	O	P	Q	R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z
Use in English
Alphabetical word list
Retroalphabetical list
Common misspellings

This page lists pronunciations of English words that begin with L. To see a different letter navigate with the table above. The apostrophe is treated as the last letter of the alphabet, after Z.

For a pronunciation key, click on the blue "Catalogs" link below the article title.^[e]

---

L = él railway

lâbel rhymes with tâble

labŏrious

lâbour BrE; AmE -or, cf. Lâbor Pàrty Australia, etc. and Lâbour Pàrty Britain, etc.

lâbourer BrE; AmE -or-

lábyrinth *lábrinth

lachrymôse *lacrimôse

lackadâisical

lácklustre adjective one word

lácquer *lácker

láddies boys

lâdies women

làger beer hard g, cf. soft g in làrger bigger

làh-dì-dàh

lâid egg, table, trap *lâyed

lâin down = lâne traffic

lãir hideout ≈ lâyer covering

lâissèz-fãire has a silent z: *lây-sây-fãir

lâíty rhymes with dèíty

lámb sheep = lám law, thrash

lambást or lambâste

lâme

lámè (may be written French-style lamé)

lamént

lámentable or laméntable

Lampedûsa: Italian has a voiced s, but unvoiced is usual in English

Lámplugh *Lámplə

LÁN local area network

lándscape

lâne road = lâin lie = Lâne, Lâine persons

lánguage *láng-gwij

lánguorous -uorou-: -ərə-

Làos nation = lòuse bug

lápdog one word

Láplánd

lápse negative = láps lap

largésse BrE; AmE can be largéss *larzhéss or = làrge S

làrva insect BrE = làva volcano

laságna *ləzánya, laságnê *ləzányi

lâser -z-; rhymes with râzor

lasso *lassoô

lāst

Làs Vègas: BrE usually *Lós Vègas because in AmE Làs = Lós, and/or by analogy with Lós Ángeles; some British speakers say Lás, as if "láss Vègas"

lâter, cf. látter

Látin

Latìno

làttè

látter

láttice cf. léttuce

låud praise = BrE lŏrd master

låudanum

lāughter rhymes with āfter

laundrétte

Låura

låureate BrE *lóriət

låurel BrE *lórrel

Låuren BrE Ló-

Låurence = Låwrence, q.v., BrE Ló-

Laurie = lórry, BrE ó, AmE å

làva volcano BrE = làrva insect

lávish, cf. slâvish

låw legal = BrE lŏre folk: *lŏ; many Francophones cannot distinguish this word, instead pronouncing it like lôw *ləù

Låwrence = Låurence as a boy's given name; the former, with w, is also a family name and as a given name is more common (u version is a girl's given name in French), BrE Ló-

låwyer *lŏyer

láx neglect = lácks lack

láxative

lây table, egg, snooker is a verb in its own right, past and past participle both lâid; even native speakers confuse lây with lîe down (past lây, past participle lâin): e.g. "laying low" for lŷing lôw

lâybŷ

lâyer covering ≈ lãir hideout

lâys = lâze lazy

lâze lazy = lâys table

lâzy

lêa grass = lêe shelter = Lêe = Lêigh persons

lêach percolate = leêch worm, sail = Lêach = Leêch persons

lêad first, guide, write, dog = lêde US journal (optional spelling to distinguish it from léad metal)

léad metal = léd took, past of lêad, cf. réad, past of rêad

Léad Bélly is pronounced with the stress on the first word, as if it were one word, *Léadbelly

lêader lead = lìêder songs

lêaf, singular of lêaves tree

lêak liquid = lêek vegetable

lêague *lêeg

Léamington Spà begins like lémming

lêan

léant lean = lént lend = Lént season

lêap

léapt

lëarn past: lëarned or lëarnt

lëarned as an attributive adjective gains a syllable: a *lëarníd mán

lêast less, cf. lést in case

lêaves leave, leaf—plural of lêaf tree and -s form of the verb lêave go

Lébanon -ənən; AmE -ón

léd guided (past of lêad) = léad metal (Léd Zéppelin is so spelt as to avoid mispronunciation)

lêde article introduction, AmE alternative spelling of lêad, to avoid even momentary confusion with léad metal

lée shelter = Lêe = Lêigh = Lêa persons = lêa grass

lêes dregs, cf. lêase contract, unvoiced s: minimal pair

leêch worm, sail = lêach percolate = Lêach = Leêch persons

Lêeds city = lêads lead

lêek vegetable = lêak liquid

lêer look = Lêar person

lé Fanu *Léfənu

léft hand, leave

léftie politics = léfty hand = Léfty = Léftie nicknames for lefty

légacy

lêgal

légend, cf. lédge

législâtive AmE; BrE législatíve

législâtor

législatûre

legítimacy

Léicester city = Léster person; each forms a minimal trio with Léinster and Léominster

Léinster Ireland

Leîpzig

léisure BrE *lézher; AmE lêisure *lêzher; BrE rhyming with méasure, pléasure and tréasure

leîtmotìf has the anglicised spelling pronunciation, while the alternative leîtmotìv resembles the original German

lêmur animal BrE = Lìma Peru

Lénnox

léns *lénze, plural lénses

lént lend = Lént season = léant lean

Lêô

Léominster *Lémstər, see Léicester

Lêón person = Lỳón France, cf. lîon animal

Léonard *Lénnərd = Lénnard

léopard animal = Léppard person *lépərd, cf. Léonard, jéopardy, also silent o, minimal pair with léper

lêotàrd *lêətàrd

léper *lépər, rhyming with pépper, minimal pair with léopard

léprechåun *léprekåun

Lërner and Lôewe sounds like lëarner and lôw

Lerŏy or Lêroy, with variant spellings (R, -oi...)

Lés AmE = léss, BrE *Léz

lésbian

Lésbós

lèse-majesté *lâys-mázhestay

Lésley female = Léslie male

Lesotho *Lesûtû

léss more

léssen less = lésson school

lést in case, cf. lêast less

lêthal

léts let = lét’s let us

léttuce *léttis = Léttice, cf. láttice (minimal pair)

Levánt

lévee dam = lévy tax

lêver BrE (= lêaver leave); AmE léver

lêverage BrE; AmE léverage, cf. béverage in both

Lêvî

Lévís, cf. Lêavis

lévy tax = lévee dam

Lêvy, Lévy persons

Leŵ rare = Loû normal (shortenings of Leŵis)

leŵd, cf. feûd

Leŵis person, Scotland *Loôwis = Leŵes England

léxicon rhymes with Méxican

Lèyland

Leylándìî

Lhàsa

lîable, three syllables, cf. lîbel, two

liâisón *lì-âizón

lîar false = lŷre music, cf. lîe

Líb Dém

lîbel

lîbelous; BrE can be lîbellous

líberal

libertãrian

líberty

libìdo

Lìbra

lîbrary - first r and a may be silent

librãrian

Líbya, cf. Sýria

lîcence BrE noun only = lîcense

lîcensed *lîcenced

lîcensêe *lîcencee

lîcensure

licéntiate -shət

licéntious -shəss

lîchen plant = lîken compare

lícker lick = líquor drink

lícoríce AmE, líquoríce BrE *líckerish

líd = Lýdd

lîdo, lìdo

lîe untrue (past and past participle: lîed), down (past lây, past participle lâin), cf. lŷing, present participle and gerund of both; and lây table, egg, snooker as a verb in its own right, past and past participle both lâid: the usual mistake is lây instead of lîe = lŷe chemical

Líechtensteîn or Lísh- country, cf. Líchtensteîn Lík- Roy

lîed untruth

lìêd song

lìêder songs = lêader lead

lìen *lêən, or = lêan

lieû in = loô toilet = Loû person

lieuténant AmE loôt-, BrE léft- or loôt-

lîfelong one word

lîfestyle one word

lîfetime one word

lígament

Lígeti: hard g, schwa

lîght = lîte, humorous or commercial spelling thereof

lîghtning flash *lîtning ≈ lîghtening lighten

lîkable or lîkeable

lîkelihood

lîkely

lîke-mînded

Likùd

lîlac

Lilóngwè

líly = Lýly

líly-lívered

límb *lím, cf. clîmb up = clîme climate

lîme, cf. Lŷme Rêgis

límô *límmo

limousìne *limmazêen

límp

línchpín, cf. lýnch

Líncoln *Língkən, *Linkən

Líndsay *Línzy = Líndsey Lincolnshire

lîne = Leŷne

línêage *línêíj, *línny-ij, cf. lîne

línêar

lîner

lîneúp can be hyphenated or two words

lingerie BrE *lánzhery, AmE *lànjə-rèy

línk, cf. lýnx, Líncs

Línux

lîon animal = Lŷon person, cf. Lỳón France

líp-rêad

líquefy, cf. líquid, líquidate

liqueûr chocolate *licûre

líquor whisky = lícker lick

líquoríce BrE, lícoríce AmE *líckerish

*lírrick (cf. límerick) lýric

Lísbon Portugal *Lízbən = BrE Lísburn Ireland, rhymes with Brísbane

Liskeârd

líst column, sway = Líszt Franz

lísten *líssen

lístless *lístlíss

lîte: humorous or commercial spelling of lîght, unsuitable in other contexts

líterary

líttoral shore = líteral words - or can be littorāl; or be spelt with only one t, lítoral

líturgy

Liû Xiaobǒ *Lyû Shòu-båw, as it is pronounced by some broadcasters, though in English -bô is what comes naturally

líve verb

lîve adjective, cf. lîfe noun

Líverpool, cf. lîver bïrd

Liverpúdlian

lîvelihood

lîvely

lívery

líves verb

lîves life plural of lîfe

Líz

Ljubljàna´ *Lyùblyàna

llàma animal = làma Buddhism

Llanélli: Welsh names featuring, very often initially, the voiceless alveolar fricative, IPA [ɬ], written Ll-, ll-, are pronounced by many non-Welsh speakers with the substitute 'thl-', so: *Thlanéthly—though this does not apply to the very common Llŏyd *Lŏyd (nor to Llèyton, a variant of Lèyton)

lôad heavy, fill = lôde rock

lôan lend = lône alone

lôath unwilling has unvoiced th; its variant spelling lôth is perhaps preferable, to avoid confusion with lôathe, which is often used incorrectly in its place

lôathe hate has voiced th, *lôadh

lôathsome voiced th, no middle 'e'

lóbbyist *lóbbiest

lóch Scottish ch, like Arabic 'kh', phonetic symbol χ; Irish ones are lóugh, same pronunciation; cf. lóck

lóckjaw one word

lódge

Lodz *Wùdj

lôgo

Lôís

lolicon: stressless in Japanese; no standard English pronunciation

lóllipop

lólly

Lòndon

lône only = lôan money

lónger long, hard g sounded separately

longëur bore, g not sounded separately

longévity -njé-

Lóngfellow

loô toilet = Loû person = lieû in = Loôe Cornwall

loòkalike noun one word

loôm noun, verb

loôphole one word, no hyphen

loôse insecure *lûce, cf. lose lost = loôs loo *lûze: writing loôse for lose is perhaps the second most common mistake in English after ít’s for íts

loôsely

loôser more loose *lûcer, cf. loser lose *lûzer

loôt spoils = lûte music

lôpe

loquâcious

lŏre folk BrE = låw rule

lorry transport = Laurie person, AmE å, BrE ó

Lós Ángeles, cf. Làs Vègas

lose lost *lûze = loôs toilets, cf. loôse insecure *lûce

loser lose *lûzer, cf. loôser more loose

loses lû-, cf. lósses

losing lose *loôzing

lóss

lôth disinclined: variant spelling of lôath (unvoiced th), and arguably preferable, as it is further from lôathe hate (voiced th)

Loû person = loô toilet = lieû in; Loû is the normal shortening of Leŵis, Leŵ Hôad being an exception

loûche -sh

lóugh = lóch

Loúghborough *Lúffbərə

Loûìs silent s = Loûìê, or (particularly in St. Loûís) = Leŵís

Louìse *Loô-wêez

Louisiána *Loû-êasy-Ánna, one n

Loûrdes France = lûred lure

lòve, cf. lôathe

lôw high = lô (archaic) look, cf. låw

Lûcas

lûcre *lûker

Lúddite

Lùfthansa *Lùft Hánsa

lúggage

lúllabŷ

lúmbar back = lúmber wood

lúscious *lúshous

lúsh

lûte music = loôt spoils

Lútyens can sound like *Lútchins

lúvvie, a satirical British word for an actor, cf. lòve, lòvey-dòvey

Lúxemboürg

Luxemboürgian nationality

Lúxemboürgish language

Lúxŏr

Lvív *Ləvív

lychêe is a more common spelling than lî-, lît- and litchì

lŷe chemical = lîe down, untrue

lŷing from lîe

lýmph

lýnch = Lýnch person, cf. línchpin

lýnx animal = línks link = Líncs Lincolnshire

Lỳón France = Lêón person, cf. lîon animal

Lŷra constellation, cf. lìra currency

lŷre harp = lîar cheat

lýric

Lysístrata, Lysistràta

Lýttelton, cf. líttle