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

This is the domain of the Indonesian ownership group, headed by Mirwan Suwarso, which has tapped into the club’s geographic allure (Como sits beside an idyllic lake in northern Italy) to create popular branding for jerseys and apparel. — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026

The escape, roughly 80 miles from Memphis, offers an amalgam of lakes, hardwood forests, and shortleaf pine ecosystems. — Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 10 Sep. 2026

Either way, Crew Girl goes over about as smoothly as a shell slicing through a silver lake on a breezeless morning. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026

The show will begin with Pam grieving the loss of young Jason, who supposedly drowned in the town lake — the inciting incident of the franchise. — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 10 Sep. 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