lake

¹lake

noun, often attributive \ˈlāk\

Definition of LAKE

: a considerable inland body of standing water; also : a pool of other liquid (as lava, oil, or pitch)

— lake·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective

Origin of LAKE

Middle English, from Old English, Anglo-French, & Latin; Old English lacu stream, pool, from Latin lacus lake, pool, pit & Anglo-French lac pit, from Latin lacus; akin to Old English lagu sea, Greek lakkos pond

First Known Use: 12th century

Other Oceanography Terms

littoral, sound

Rhymes with LAKE

ache, bake, brake, break, cake, crake, drake, Drake, fake, flake, hake, jake, make, quake, rake, sake, shake, slake, snake, stake, steak, strake, take, wake

²lake

noun

Definition of LAKE

1

a : a purplish red pigment prepared from lac or cochineal

b : any of numerous usually bright translucent organic pigments composed essentially of a soluble dye absorbed on or combined with an inorganic carrier

2

: carmine 2

— laky \ˈlā-kē\ adjective

Origin of LAKE

French laque lac, from Old Occitan laca, from Arabic lakk — more at lacquer

First Known Use: 1598

³lake

verb

lakedlak·ing

Definition of LAKE

transitive verb

: to cause (blood) to undergo a physiological change in which the hemoglobin becomes dissolved in the plasma

intransitive verb

of blood : to undergo the process by which hemoglobin becomes dissolved in the plasma

First Known Use of LAKE

1903

lake

verb \ˈlāk\   (Medical Dictionary)

laked; lak·ing

Medical Definition of LAKE

transitive verb

: to cause (blood) to undergo a physiological change in which the hemoglobin becomes dissolved in the plasma

intransitive verb

of blood : to undergo the process by which hemoglobin becomes dissolved in the plasma

lake

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Relatively large body of slow-moving or standing water that occupies an inland basin. Lakes are most abundant in high northern latitudes and in mountain regions, particularly those that were covered by glaciers in recent geologic times. The primary sources of lake water are melting ice and snow, springs, rivers, runoff from the land surface, and direct precipitation. In the upper part of lakes there is a good supply of light, heat, oxygen, and nutrients, well distributed by currents and turbulence. As a result, a large number of diverse aquatic organisms can be found there. The most abundant forms are plankton (chiefly diatoms), algae, and flagellates. In the lower levels and in the sediments, the main forms of life are bacteria. See also limnology.