List of Greek and Latin roots in English/L

Lists of Greek and Latin roots in English beginning with other letters:
Root Meaning in English Origin language Etymology (root origin) English examples
lab-, lep-[1] grasp, seize, take Greek λαμβάνειν (lambánein), λῆψις (lêpsis), λῆμμα (lêmma) analemma, analemmatic, analeptic, catalepsy, cataleptic, dilemma, dilemmatic, epilepsy, epileptic, hypnolepsy, hysteroepilepsy, metalepsis, narcolepsy, nympholepsy, octosyllabic, procatalepsis, prolepsis, proleptic, proslepsis, syllabic, syllabism, syllable, syllabogram, syllepsis, trisyllabic, trisyllable
lab-, laps- slide, slip Latin labi, lapsus collapse, collapsible, elapse, labile, lapse, prolapse, relapse
labi- lip Latin labia, labiae bilabial, bilabiate, infralabial, labial, labiate, labium, sublabial, supralabial
labor- work Latin labor collaborate, collaboration, collaborative, collaborator, elaborate, elaboration, elaborative, elaborator, labor, laboratory, laborious
lacer- tear Latin lacer laceration
lacrim- cry, tears Latin lacrima lachrymal, lachrymose, lachrymosity, lacrimal, lacrimation, lacrimator, lacrimatory, lacrimous
lact- milk Latin lac, lactis, lactare ablactate, ablactation, lactary, lactase, lactate, lactation, lactational, lacteal, lacteous, lactescent, lactic, lactose, laitance, latte
lag- hare Greek λαγός (lagós) lagomorph, Sylvilagus
lamin- layer, slice Latin lāmina bilamellate, bilaminar, lame, lamé, lamella, lamellar, lamellate, laminate, lamination, laminose, laminous, multilaminar, omelet, omelette, trilaminar, unilaminar
lamp-[2] shine, torch Greek λάμπειν (lámpein), λαμπάς (lampás) lamp, lamprid, Lampris
lapid- stone Latin lapis, lapidis dilapidate, dilapidation, lapidarian, lapidary, lapidate, lapidation, lapidator, lapideous, lapidescence, lapidescent, lapidicolous, lapidification, lapillation, lapilli
larg- large Latin largus allargando, enlarge, enlargement, largamente, largando, large, largess, largesse, largition, largo
larv- ghost, mask Latin larva larva, larvae, larval
lat- broad, wide Latin latus laticlave, latifoliate, latifundium, latitude, latitudinal, latitudinarian, latitudinous
later- side Latin latus, lateris ambilateral, ambilaterality, bilateral, bilaterality, collateral, contralateral, equilateral, extralateral, inequilateral, ipsilateral, lateral, laterality, matrilateral, multilateral, nonlateral, patrilateral, plurilateral, quadrilateral, semilatus, septilateral, trilateral, unilateral
laud-, laus- praise Latin laudare "to praise" laud, laudable, laudanum, laudation, Lauds, summa cum laude
lav- wash Latin lavare launder, laundry, lava, lavation, lavatory, lave, lavender, lavish, lotion
lax- not tense, slack Latin laxus, laxare delay, disrelish, laches, lax, laxation, laxative, laxity, leasable, lease, relax, relaxant, relaxation, relay, release, relish, sublease
lecith-[3] egg yolk Greek λέκιθος (lékithos) lecithin
led-, les-, -lid-, -lis- hurt, strike Latin laedere, laesus, -lidere allision, collide, collision, elide, elidible, elision, illesive, lesion
leg-[4] say Greek λέγειν (légein), λέγεσθαι (légesthai), λεκτός (lektós), λεκτικός (lektikós), λέξις (léxis), λεξικός (lexikós), λεξικόν (lexikón), λόγος (lógos), (logḗ), λεγόμενον (legómenon), λογεῖον alexia, alexithymia, apologetic, apologia, apology, dialect, dialectic, dialectologist, dialectology, dialog, dialogue, dyslexia, dyslexic, dyslogia, dyslogism, ethnolect, legomenon, lexeme, lexicography, lexicology, lexicon, lexigram, lexis, logic, logion, logos, prolegomenon
leg-, lect- choose, gather, read Latin legere coil, colleague, collect, collectible, collection, collective, collector, college, collegial, collegiality, collegian, collegiate, collegium, counterintelligence, cull, deselect, diligence, diligent, elect, electability, electable, electee, election, elective, elector, electoral, electorate, eligibility, eligible, elite, illegibility, illegible, ineligibility, ineligible, intellect, intellection, intellectual, intellectuality, intelligence, intelligent, intelligentsia, intercollegiate, lectern, lectin, lection, lectionary, lector, lectorate, lecture, legend, legendary, legendry, legibility, legible, legion, legionary, legionnaire, legume, leguminous, lesson, neglect, negligee, negligence, negligent, negligible, nonelective, nonelite, nonnegligible, nonselective, postelection, predilect, predilection, preelection, prelect, prelection, prelector, preselect, recollect, recollection, reelect, reelection, religion, reselect, sacrilege, select, selectance, selectee, selection, selective, selectivity, selector, superselection, uniselector
leg- law Latin lex, legis allege, disloyal, disloyalty, extralegal, illegal, legal, legality, legific, legislate, legislation, legislative, legislator, legislature, legitim, legitimacy, legitimate, loyal, loyalty, nonlegal, privilege
leg- send Latin legare (from legis) allegation, delegable, delegacy, delegate, delegatee, delegation, delegator, delegatory, league, legacy, legatary, legate, legatee, legatine, legation, legato, nondelegate, relegate, relegation, superdelegate
lei-[5] smooth Greek λεῖος (leîos) leiomyoma
lekan-[6] dish, pot Greek λεκάνη (lekánē) lekane
leni- gentle Latin lenis, lenire leniency, lenient, leniment, lenis, lenition, lenitive, lenitude, lenity
leon- lion Latin leo, leonis dandelion, Leo, leonine, Leopold
lep-[7] flake, peel, scale Greek λέπειν (lépein), λεπίς, λεπίδος (lepís, lepídos) antilepton, lepidolite, Lepidoptera, Lepidorhombus, lepidote, lepidotrichia, leprosy
lepto-[8] small, fine, thin Greek λεπτός (leptós) leptocyte, leptogenesis, Leptomonas, lepton, leptophyllous
leuc-, leuk-[9] white Greek λευκός (leukós) aleukemia, aleukocytosis, leucism, leucocyte, leucopenia, leucoplast, leukemia, leukocytopenia, leukopenia, leucophore
lev- lift, light, raise Latin levare "lighten, raise", from levis "light" (in weight) alleviate, alleviation, bas-relief, counter-relief, deleverage, elevate, elevation, elevator, leaven, legerity, levade, Levant, levee, lever, leverage, leviable, levitate, levitation, levity, levy, relevé, relief, relieve, sublevation, superelevation
liber- free Latin liber, liberare deliver, deliverance, illiberal, illiberality, liberal, liberality, liberalize, liberate, liberation, liberator, libertarian, liberticide, libertinage, libertine, liberty, ultraliberal
libr- book Latin liber, libri interlibrary, libel, libellant, libellee, libellous, librarian, library, libretto
lig- bind Latin ligare, ligatus ligament, ligature
limac- slug Latin limax, limacis limacine, limacoid, limacon, Limax
limpa- clear, water Latin limpa "water" limpid, limpidity, lymph
line- line Latin linea align, alignment, ambilineal, ambilineality, bilinear, collinear, collinearity, collineation, curvilinear, curvilinearity, delineate, delineation, delineavit, line, linea, lineage, lineal, lineament, linear, linearity, lineate, lineation, matrilineal, multicollinearity, multilinear, nonalignment, noncollinear, nonlineal, nonlinear, nonlinearity, quasilinear, realign, realignment, rectilinear, rectilinearity, sesquilinear, sublineage, sublinear, supralinear, trilinear, unilinear
line- smear, smudge Latin linere delete, deletion, indelible, liniment
lingu- language, tongue Latin lingua bilingual, bilinguality, bilinguous, collingual, elinguation, interlanguage, language, ligula, ligular, ligule, lingua franca, lingual, linguiform, linguine, multilingual, prelingual, quadrilingual, sublingual, trilingual
linqu-, lict- leave Latin linquere, lictus relict, relinquish
lip-[10] fat Greek λίπος (lípos) lipolysis, lipophile, lipophilic, lipopolysaccharide, lipoprotein, synaloepha
liqu- flow Latin liquere deliquesce, liquefy, liqueur, liquid, liquor, prolix
lit-[11] prayer, supplication Greek λιτή (litḗ), λιτανεία (litaneía) litany
liter- letter Latin littera alliteration, alliterative, biliteral, biliterate, illiteracy, illiterate, literacy, literal, literary, literate, literati, literatim, literation, literator, literature, multiliteral, nonliteral, nonliterary, nonliterate, obliterate, obliteration, preliterate, quadriliteral, transliteracy, transliterate, transliteration, triliteral, uniliteral
lith-[12] stone Greek λίθος (líthos) aerolithology, endolith, endolithic, epilithic, lithagogue, lithic, lithography, lithology, lithophile, lithophone, lithophyte, lithosphere, lithotomy, megalith, Mesolithic, microlite, monolith, monolithic, Neolithic, Paleolithic, photolithography, phytolith, regolith, stylolite
loc- place Latin locus, locare accouchement, allocate, bilocation, bilocular, cislocative, collocation, couch, couchant, dislocate, dislocation, interlocal, lieu, local, locale, locality, locate, location, locative, locator, locomotion, loculament, locular, locule, loculose, loculus, locus, milieu, multilocal, multilocation, multilocular, nonlocal, relocate, relocation, translocate, translocation, translocative, trilocular, unilocular
log-, -logy word, reason, speech, thought Greek λόγος (lógos), λογία (logía) analogy, anthology, apology, biology, dialogue doxology, ecology, epilogue, etymology, eulogy, geology, ideologue, logarithm, logic, logogram, logopaedics, logophile, logotherapy, meteorology, monologue, morphological, neologism, neurology, philology, prologue, psychology, tautology, terminology, theology, toxicology, trilogy, zoology
long- long Latin longus allonge, elongate, elongation, longa, longanimity, longe, longeron, longinquity, longitude, longitudinal, longum, lunge, lungo, oblong, prolong, prolongation, purloin
loqu-, locut- speak Latin loqui allocution, circumlocution, colloquial, colloquy, elocution, eloquent, eloquence, grandiloquent, interlocution, loquacious, loquacity, magniloquent, obloquy, soliloquy
luc- bright, light Latin lūx (genitive lūcis), lucere elucidate, elucidation, elucubrate, elucubration, lucent, lucid, lucidity, Lucifer (bearer of light), luciferase, luciferin, luciferous, lucifugal, lucubrate, lucubration, luculent, noctilucent, pellucid, pellucidity, relucent, semipellucid, translucency, translucent, translucid, translucidus
lud-, lus- play Latin ludere, lusus allude, collude, delude, elude, elusive, elusory, illude, illusion, ludicrous, lusory, prelude
lumin- light Latin lumen, luminis, luminare dislimn, enlumine, illuminable, illuminance, illuminant, illuminate, illuminati, illumination, illumine, intraluminal, limn, lumen, luminaire, luminal, luminance, luminant, luminaria, luminary, lumine, luminescence, luminescent, luminiferous, luminosity, luminous, relumine, subluminal, subluminous, superluminal, transluminal
lu-, luv-, lut- wash Latin luere (see also diluere, fluere and pluere) abluent, ablution, alluvium, colluvium, deluge, depollute, diluent, dilute, dilution, dilutive, diluvial, diluvian, diluvium, elute, elution, eluvial, elluviation, eluvium, illuviation, illuvium, lutaceous, lutite, pollution
lun- moon Latin lūna circumlunar, cislunar, demilune, luna, lunar, lunate, lunatic, lunation, lune, lunette, luniform, lunisolar, mezzaluna, mezzelune, plenilunary, semilunar, sublunar, sublunary, superlunary, translunar
lut- yellow, golden Latin lūtum, lūteus corpus luteum, luteal, lutein, luteinizing hormone, luteous
ly-, lysi-, lyt-[13] dissolving Greek λύειν (lúein), λυτός (lutós), λυτικός (lutikós), λύσις (lúsis) analyse, analysis, analytic, aparalytic, autolysis, catalyse, catalysis, catalyst, catalytic, cytolysis, dialysis, electrolysis, electrolyte, electrolytic, Hippolyte, hydrolysis, hydrolyte, hydrolytic, lysigeny, lysine, lysis, lysosome, lytic, meta-analysis, palsy, paralyse, paralysis, paralytic, plasmolysis, proteolysis
lyc- wolf Greek λύκος (lýkos) Lycaon, lycanthropy, lycopersicon, lycoris


References

edit