5 Letter Word Starts With L

Let's explore the intriguing world of five-letter words starting with "L." These words, ranging from the common to the relatively obscure, play vital roles in our everyday communication, enriching our vocabulary and enabling us to express ourselves with precision. In this article, we'll delve into a comprehensive list of five-letter words starting with "L," examine their meanings, explore their uses, and even touch upon their etymological origins. Whether you're a student, a writer, or simply a word enthusiast, this exploration will undoubtedly broaden your linguistic horizons.

List of 5-Letter Words Starting with "L"

Here's an extensive compilation of five-letter words that begin with the letter "L," categorized for easier navigation and understanding:

Common Words:

Label: A slip of paper or other material affixed to something and giving information about it.
Labor: Work, especially hard physical work.
Lacks: Is without or deficient in.
Laden: Heavily loaded or weighed down.
Lager: A type of beer brewed and stored for several months.
Laity: Ordinary people, as distinct from clergy.
Lakes: Large bodies of water surrounded by land.
Lamps: Devices for giving light.
Lance: A long spear used by knights or cavalry.
Lands: Areas of ground; territories.
Lanes: Narrow roads or paths.
Lanky: Ungracefully thin and tall.
Lapse: A temporary failure of concentration, memory, or judgment.
Large: Of considerable size or extent.
Laser: A device that generates an intense beam of coherent monochromatic light.
Lasso: A rope with a noose at one end, used especially in North America for catching cattle or horses.
Latch: A bar with a catch used for fastening a door or gate.
Later: At a subsequent time; afterwards.
Latin: The language of ancient Rome.
Laugh: To make sounds and movements of the face and body expressing amusement or happiness.
Layer: A sheet, quantity, or thickness of material, typically one of several, covering a surface or body.
Layup: (In basketball) an attempt to score a basket from near the basket.
Leach: To drain away from soil, ash, or other material by the action of percolating liquid.
Leads: Shows the way by going in front.
Leafy: Covered in leaves.
Leaky: Having a hole or crack that allows liquid or gas to escape.
Leant: Past tense of lean; to be in or assume a sloping position.
Learn: To gain or acquire knowledge of or skill in (something) by study, experience, or being taught.
Lease: A contract by which one party conveys land, property, services, etc., to another for a specified time, usually in return for a periodic payment.
Least: Smallest in amount, extent, or degree.
Leave: Go away from.
Ledgy: Having many ledges.
Leer's: Look or gaze in an unpleasant, malicious, or lascivious way.
Lefts: Remaining; on the left side.
Leggy: Having long legs.
Lemon: A yellow citrus fruit with acidic juice.
Lends: Grants to (someone) for temporary use on condition that it or its equivalent will be returned.
Lenin: Vladimir Lenin, a Russian communist revolutionary, politician, and political theorist.
Lense: A piece of glass or other transparent substance with curved sides for concentrating or dispersing light rays. (Often spelled "lens")
Lent's: Past tense of lend; granted to (someone) for temporary use on condition that it or its equivalent will be returned.
Leper: A person suffering from leprosy.
Lesbo: A lesbian.
Lesse: An area of open grassland.
Lests: (archaic) for fear that.
Letch: A lecherous person.
Level: A flat, horizontal line or plane.
Lever: A bar that pivots on a fixed point (fulcrum), used to help move or lift a heavy object.
Lewis: A male given name; also a surname.
Liars: People who tell lies.
Libel: A published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation.
Libra: A constellation and sign of the zodiac.
Lice's: Plural of louse; a small, wingless, parasitic insect.
Licks: Passes the tongue over.
Lids's: Covers for containers; eyelids.
Liege: A feudal superior to whom allegiance and service are owed.
Lief's: (archaic) as gladly; willingly.
Lies's: Untruths; false statements.
Lifes: Plural of life; the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter.
Lift's: Raises to a higher position or level.
Light: The natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible.
Ligna: Plant tissue comprising mainly xylem.
Likes: Finds agreeable or enjoyable.
Lilac: A shrub or small tree with fragrant purple, pink, or white flowers.
Lilos: A type of inflatable mattress.
Lilsts: Walks or moves with a light, graceful step.
Limbo: (in some Christian beliefs) the supposed abode of the souls of unbaptized infants, and of the just who died before Christ's coming.
Limes: Green citrus fruits.
Limit: A point or level beyond which something does not or may not extend or pass.
Limp's: Walks with difficulty, typically because of injury or stiffness.
Lined: Having lines.
Liner: A ship or aircraft belonging to a regular line of passenger-carrying vessels or aircraft.
Lines: Long, narrow marks or bands.
Links: Connections; units in a chain.
Linns: (Scottish) A waterfall or torrent.
Linos: Short for linoleum; a floor covering.
Lints: Short, fine fibers that separate from the surface of cloth or yarn.
Lions: Large carnivorous felines.
Liras: Former Italian currency.
Lisas: A female given name.
Lisps: Speaks with a speech defect.
Lists: A series of names, items, or figures written or printed in a meaningful grouping or sequence.
Liter: A metric unit of capacity, equal to one cubic decimeter.
Lithe: Thin, supple, and graceful.
Lived: Past tense of live; remained alive.
Liver: A large lobed organ in the abdomen of vertebrates, involved in many metabolic processes.
Lives: Exists; remains alive.
Livid: Furiously angry.
Llama: A South American mammal related to the camel.
Loads: Large quantities of something.
Loafe: Spend one's time in an idle manner.
Loans: Sums of money borrowed.
Loath: Reluctant; unwilling.
Lobby: A room providing a space out of which one or more other rooms or corridors open, usually a public space.
Local: Belonging or relating to a particular area or neighborhood.
Locks: Fasteners that secure doors or containers.
Locos: (informal) crazy; insane.
Locus: A particular position or place where something occurs or is situated.
Lodge: A small house at the gate of a park or in the grounds of a large house.
Lofty: Of imposing height.
Logic: Reasoning conducted or assessed according to principles of validity.
Logos: The Word of God, or principle of divine reason and creative order.
Loire: A river in France.
Lolls: Sits, lies, or stands in a lazy, relaxed way.
Lolly: (British informal) a lollipop.
Loner: A person who prefers to be alone.
Longs: Desires something greatly.
Looks: Directs one's gaze toward someone or something.
Looms: Appears as a shadowy form, especially one that is large or threatening.
Loons: Diving waterbirds with haunting calls.
Loops: Shapes produced by a curve that bends around and crosses itself.
Loose: Not firmly or tightly fixed in place; detached or able to be detached easily.
Loots: Steals goods from (a place), typically during a war or riot.
Lords: People who have great power or authority.
Lorry: (British) a large motor vehicle for transporting goods or troops; a truck.
Loser: A person or thing that loses or has lost something.
Loses: Is deprived of or ceases to have something.
Lotto: A lottery game.
Lotus: A type of water lily.
Louds: Produces loud sounds.
Lough: A lake or sea inlet.
Louse: A small, wingless, parasitic insect that lives on the skin of mammals and birds.
Louts: An uncouth or aggressive man or boy.
Loves: Feels deep affection for.
Lowed: (of cattle) make a characteristic deep sound.
Lower: Less high in position.
Loyal: Giving or showing firm and constant support or allegiance to a person or institution.
Lucid: Expressed clearly; easy to understand.
Lucky: Having, bringing, or resulting from good luck.
Lulls: Calms or soothes.
Lumen: The SI unit of luminous flux, equal to the amount of light emitted per second in a unit solid angle of one steradian from a uniform source of one candela.
Lumps: Compact masses of something.
Lunar: Relating to the moon.
Lunch: A meal eaten in the middle of the day, typically one that is lighter or less formal than an evening meal.
Lunge: A sudden forward thrust of the body, typically with an arm outstretched.
Lupus: A chronic autoimmune disease affecting many parts of the body.
Lurch: An abrupt uncontrolled movement, especially an unsteady tilt or roll.
Lured: Tempted (a person or animal) to do something or go somewhere by offering some pleasure or gain.
Lurid: Very vivid in color, especially so as to create an unpleasantly harsh or unnatural effect.
Lusts: Has a very strong sexual desire.
Lutes: Plucked stringed instruments with a long neck bearing frets and a rounded body with a flat front.
Luxes: Units of illuminance, equal to one lumen per square meter.
Lyric: Expressing the writer's emotions in an imaginative and beautiful way.

Less Common but Still Valid Words:

Lazzi: Improvised comic dialogue or action in the commedia dell'arte.
Lends: To grant something to someone with the expectation of its return.
Libra: A constellation; also, a unit of weight in some countries.
Limns: To depict or describe in painting or words.
Litas: Former currency of Lithuania.

Usage and Examples

To further illustrate the usage of these words, let's look at some examples in sentences:

Label: Please affix the label to the package before shipping.
Labor: The labor involved in constructing the house was immense.
Lacks: The project lacks sufficient funding to proceed.
Laden: The table was laden with food for the feast.
Lager: He ordered a pint of lager at the pub.
Laity: The laity actively participated in the church's activities.
Lakes: The region is famous for its numerous beautiful lakes.
Lamps: The lamps illuminated the dark room.
Lance: The knight charged with his lance lowered.
Lands: He inherited vast lands from his father.
Lanes: The narrow lanes of the old city were charming.
Lanky: The lanky teenager towered over his peers.
Lapse: A momentary lapse in concentration caused the error.
Large: They live in a large house.
Laser: The surgeon used a laser to perform the procedure.
Lasso: The cowboy used his lasso to catch the runaway horse.
Latch: Secure the gate with the latch.
Later: We will discuss this later.
Latin: He studied Latin in high school.
Laugh: The joke made everyone laugh.
Layer: The cake had a layer of chocolate frosting.
Leach: The chemicals leach into the soil.
Leads: The guide leads the tourists through the city.
Leafy: The park was a leafy oasis in the city.
Leaky: The old roof was leaky.
Learn: I want to learn to play the guitar.
Lease: They signed a lease for the apartment.
Least: He had the least amount of money.
Leave: Please leave the room quietly.
Lemon: She added lemon juice to the tea.
Lends: The bank lends money to businesses.
Level: The water was at a safe level.
Lever: He used a lever to lift the heavy rock.
Liars: Nobody trusts liars.
Libel: The newspaper was sued for libel.
Libra: Her zodiac sign is Libra.
Licks: The dog licks its paws.
Liege: The knight swore fealty to his liege lord.
Light: The sun provides light.
Lilac: The lilac bush smelled wonderful.
Limit: There is a limit to my patience.
Lines: The artist drew straight lines.
Links: The chain has many links.
Liter: I drank a liter of water.
Lithed: The dancer was incredibly lithe.
Lived: They lived in the city for ten years.
Liver: The doctor examined her liver.
Lives: She lives in New York.
Livid: He was livid with rage.
Llama: We saw a llama at the zoo.
Loads: The truck carried heavy loads.
Loafe: They loafed around the park all day.
Loans: They took out loans to buy a house.
Loath: I am loath to admit I was wrong.
Lobby: The lobby was crowded.
Local: The local market sells fresh produce.
Locks: She changed the locks on the door.
Lofty: The mountain peak was lofty.
Logic: The argument lacked logic.
Lolls: He lolls in the hammock.
Loner: She is a loner.
Longs: She longs for her hometown.
Looks: He looks tired.
Looms: The ship looms on the horizon.
Loops: The roller coaster has many loops.
Loose: The screw was loose.
Loots: The soldiers looted the city.
Lords: The lords ruled the land.
Lorry: The lorry transported the goods.
Loser: He was a gracious loser.
Loses: She loses her keys often.
Lotus: The lotus flower is beautiful.
Louds: He louds over his accomplishments.
Lower: The price is lower than before.
Loyal: He is a loyal friend.
Lucid: The explanation was lucid.
Lucky: She is lucky to be alive.
Lulls: The music lulls the baby to sleep.
Lunch: I had lunch at noon.
Lunge: The fencer made a lunge.
Lured: The treasure lured the pirates.
Lurid: The scene was lurid.
Lusts: He lusts for power.
Lutes: The musician played the lute.
Lyric: The song had a beautiful lyric.

Etymological Insights

Exploring the origins of these words can offer a deeper understanding of their evolution and meaning. For example:

Labor: From the Latin labor, meaning "toil, exertion, effort."
Latin: From the Latin latinus, referring to the language of Latium (the region around Rome).
Lager: From the German Lagerbier, meaning "storage beer," referring to the method of brewing and storing this type of beer.
Logic: From the Greek logike, meaning "reasoning."

Understanding the etymology of words enriches our appreciation for the nuances of language and provides a historical context for their usage.

Practical Applications

Knowing a wide range of five-letter words starting with "L" can be beneficial in various contexts:

Crossword Puzzles and Word Games: Expanding your vocabulary is crucial for solving crossword puzzles, playing Scrabble, and other word games.
Writing: A rich vocabulary allows for more precise and expressive writing.
Communication: Effective communication relies on having a diverse vocabulary to convey your thoughts accurately.
Education: Learning new words enhances your overall understanding of language and improves your comprehension skills.

Conclusion

The English language is a vast and intricate tapestry woven from words of diverse origins and meanings. Five-letter words starting with "L" represent a small but significant thread in this tapestry. By exploring these words, understanding their definitions, examining their etymologies, and appreciating their usage, we can enhance our linguistic abilities and gain a deeper appreciation for the richness and complexity of the English language. Whether you're a student, a writer, or simply a word enthusiast, the journey through the world of words is a rewarding and enriching experience.