l

1 of 4

noun

plural l's or ls ˈelz How to pronounce l (audio)
often capitalized, often attributive
1
a
: the 12th letter of the English alphabet
b
: a graphic representation of this letter
c
: a speech counterpart of orthographic l
2
3
: a graphic device for reproducing the letter l
4
: one designated l especially as the 12th in order or class
5
: something shaped like the letter L
specifically : ell entry 2 sense 1
6

l

2 of 4

abbreviation (1)

1
lady
2
lake
3
lambert
4
land
5
large
6
late
7
left
8
length
9
[Latin libra] pound
10
line
11
liquid
12
lira
13
liter
14
little
15
low

L

3 of 4

abbreviation (2)

1
Lagrangian
2
long
3
loss; losses

l-

4 of 4

prefix

1
ˌlē-(ˌ)vō,
ˌel,
ˈel
: levorotatory
l-tartaric acid
2
ˌel,
ˈel
: having a similar configuration at a selected carbon atom to the configuration of levorotatory glyceraldehyde
usually printed as a small capital
l-fructose

Examples of l in a Sentence

Noun a word that starts with an l a word that starts with l Abbreviation (1) The area of a rectangle is L x W.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Black tea also contains the amino acid l-theanine, though other teas contain higher amounts of it. Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 5 Jan. 2024 With goodies like Sisley-Paris’s nourishing hair spray currently on sale for $89 from $105; its l) or Dr. Lara Devgan’s lash-boosting serum (discounted to $128 from $150), its easier than ever to load your cart. Jenny Berg, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2023 Apparel includes the new Universa (that’s right, no l) Leggings and Alate and Swoosh sports bras. Maria Halkias, Dallas News, 4 Aug. 2023 Other stimulants in the Kardashian brew include taurine, l-carnitine and guarana seed extract. Emily Heil, Washington Post, 20 July 2023 Additionally, 125mg of l-theanine has been incorporated to ease tension, resulting in unparalleled relaxation for both the mind and body. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 12 July 2023 Four teens arrested two days after the l shooting are being held without bond. Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2023 The Kentucky Derby is a top rank, Grade l stakes race for 3-year-old thoroughbred horses and the first leg of the Triple Crown races. Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 25 Apr. 2023 The couple had planned to marry in April 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Raphael and Carnes exchanged vows at N.Y.C.'s City Hall l in March 2020. Emily Weaver, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'l.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Prefix

International Scientific Vocabulary, from lev-

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of l was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near l

Cite this Entry

“L.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/l. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

l

noun
ˈel
often capitalized
1
: the 12th letter of the English alphabet
2
: fifty in Roman numerals

Medical Definition

L

1 of 3 abbreviation
1
left
2
levorotatory
3
light
4
liquid
5
liter
6
lumbar
used especially with a number from 1 to 5 to indicate a vertebra or segment of the spinal cord in the lumbar region

L

2 of 3 symbol
lithium

l-

3 of 3 prefix
1
ˌlē-(ˌ)vō, ˌel, ˈel
: levorotatory
usually printed in italic
l-tartaric acid
2
ˌel, ˈel
: having a similar configuration at a selected carbon atom to the configuration of levorotatory glyceraldehyde
usually printed as a small capital
L-fructose
L-tryptophan

More from Merriam-Webster on l

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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