lake

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈlāk 

often attributive

: a considerable inland body of standing water

also : a pool of other liquid (such as lava, oil, or pitch)

lakelike

ˈlāk-ˌlīk 

adjective

lake

2 of 3

noun (2)

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 sense 2

laky

ˈlā-kē 

adjective

lake

3 of 3

verb

laked; laking

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

Examples of lake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Here, in a pristine clinic on the banks of an even more pristine glacial Austrian lake, illness is not simply bad luck that happens to you. — Jamie Timson, TheWeek, 24 July 2026

Rivers, lakes, and groundwater are affected by sewage, industrial waste, agricultural runoff, and excessive extraction. — Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 July 2026

Yet another Idaho fishing record has been broken recently, the latest in a string of new catch-and-release records that include lake and brown trout and native Idaho chiselmouth. — Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 23 July 2026

The new reefs also make fishing more accessible for people without boats or those who don’t own land on the highly privatized lake. — Laura Horne, Charlotte Observer, 23 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

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

Noun (2)

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

First Known Use

Noun (1)

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1898, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing lake

• (go) jump in a/the lake
• lake dwelling
• lake effect
• lake herring
• lake trout
• salt lake

Rhymes for lake

• ache
• ake
• bake
• brake
• break
• cake
• craik
• crake
• fake
• flake
• hake
• jake

Kids Definition

lake

noun

ˈlāk

: a large inland body of standing water

also : a pool of liquid (as oil or pitch)

Medical Definition

lake

verb

ˈlāk 

laked; laking

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