8-letter words starting with la
- lacerant — painfully distressing; harrowing
- lacerate — to tear roughly; mangle: The barbed wire lacerated his hands.
- lacertid — any of numerous Old World lizards of the family Lacertidae.
- lacewing — any of several insects of the family Chrysopidae, having delicate, lacelike wings and golden or copper-colored eyes, the larvae of which are predaceous on aphids and other small insects.
- lacewood — the quartersawed wood of the sycamore tree.
- lacework — lace (def 1).
- lachaise — Gaston [gas-tuh n;; French ga-stawn] /ˈgæs tən;; French gaˈstɔ̃/ (Show IPA), 1882–1935, U.S. sculptor, born in France.
- lachesis — the Fate who determines the length of the thread of life.
- laciness — a lacy quality or state
- lacinias — Botany. a jagged or irregular part of a leaf or petal.
- lackaday — (dated) An expression of regret or grief.
- lackland — a person who has no land or territory
- laconian — an ancient country in the S part of Greece. Capital: Sparta.
- laconica — the sudatorium of an ancient Roman bath.
- laconism — laconic brevity.
- lacquers — Plural form of lacquer.
- lacrimal — lachrymal (defs 1–3).
- lacrosse — a game, originated by Indians of North America, in which two 10-member teams attempt to send a small ball into each other's netted goal, each player being equipped with a crosse or stick at the end of which is a netted pocket for catching, carrying, or throwing the ball.
- lacrymal — Alternative spelling of lachrymal.
- lactated — Simple past tense and past participle of lactate.
- lactates — Plural form of lactate.
- lacteals — pertaining to, consisting of, or resembling milk; milky.
- lacteous — milky; of the color of milk.
- lactific — yielding milk
- lactogen — (biochemistry) A polypeptide placental hormone, part of the somatotropin family, with structure and function similar to those of growth hormone. It modifies the metabolic state of the mother during pregnancy to facilitate the energy supply of the fetus.
- lactones — Plural form of lactone.
- lactonic — any of a group of internal esters derived from hydroxy acids.
- lacunars — Plural form of lacunar.
- lacunary — Of, pertaining to, or having characteristics of a lacuna.
- lacunose — full of or having lacunae.
- lacunule — a small lacuna.
- laddered — (of tights, stockings, etc) Having a ladder in them.
- ladleful — the amount that fills a ladle.
- ladrones — a group of 15 small islands in the Pacific, E of the Philippines: divided into Guam, a possession of the U.S., and the North Marianas, formally under U.S. trusteeship. 453 sq. mi. (1127 sq. km).
- lady day — Billie ("Lady Day") 1915–59, U.S. jazz singer.
- ladybird — any of numerous small, round, often brightly colored and spotted beetles of the family Coccinellidae, feeding chiefly on aphids and other small insects, but including several forms that feed on plants.
- ladybugs — Plural form of ladybug.
- ladyfied — Simple past tense and past participle of ladyfy.
- ladyfish — a game fish, Elops saurus, of warm seas, closely related to but smaller than the tarpon.
- ladyhood — The quality or state of being a lady or ladylike.
- ladylike — like a lady.
- ladylove — a beloved woman; sweetheart or mistress.
- ladypalm — a type of small palm of the genus Rhapis, popularly grown as an indoor plant
- ladyship — (often initial capital letter) the form used in speaking of or to a woman having the title of Lady (usually preceded by her or your).
- laetitia — a female given name.
- laetrile — a controversial drug, purported to cure cancer, prepared from the pits of apricots or peaches and containing about 6 percent cyanide by weight: banned by the FDA.
- laevulin — a polysaccharide occurring in the tubers of certain helianthus plants
- laforgue — Jules (ʒyl). 1860–87, French symbolist poet. An originator of free verse, he had a considerable influence on modern poetry
- lag bolt — lag screw
- lag line — a lagging or falling behind; retardation.