Etymology dictionary

Lassa — lavation (n.)

Lassa

1970 in reference to a febrile disease of tropical Africa, from Lassa, name of a village in northeastern Nigeria.

lassie (n.)

"small girl, young girl," by 1725, Scottish diminutive of lass (n.) with -ie. Scott also has lassock (1816).

early 15c., from Latin lassitudinem (nominative lassitudo) "faintness, weariness," from lassus "faint, tired, weary," from PIE *led-to-, suffixed form of *led- "slow, weary" (source also of Old English læt "sluggish, slow;" see late (adj.)), from PIE root *‌‌lē- "to let go, slacken."

lasso (n.)

"long rope with a running noose," used for catching horses and cattle, 1808, earlier laço (1768), American English, from Spanish lazo "a snare, slipknot," from Latin laqueum (nominative laqueus) "noose, snare" (see lace (n.)). As a verb from 1807. Related: Lassoed; lassoing. A lasso can serve as a lariat, but the reverse is not true.

last (n.1)

"wooden model of a human foot used by shoemakers," from Old English læste "shoemaker's last," earlier last "track, footprint, footstep, trace," from Proto-Germanic *laisti- (source also of Old Norse leistr "the foot," Middle Dutch, Dutch leest "form, model, last," Old High German leist "track, footprint," German Leisten "last," Gothic laistjan "to follow"), related to Old English læran "to teach," from PIE root *lois- "furrow, track."

last (n.2)

late Old English, "the last or final man, object, time, etc.," from last (adj.). From late 14c. as "most recent person, latest comer." Also in Middle English as a noun, "duration" (early 14c.), from the verb. Phrase at (the) last is from c. 1200; extended form long last is from 1520s. To the last is from c. 1400.

lasting (adj.)

"continuing in time," late Old English, present-participle adjective from last (v.). Related: Lastingly; lastingness.

last (adv.)

c. 1200, "most recently;" early 13c., "finally, after all others" (contrasted to first), contraction of Old English lætest (adv.), superlative of late (see late).

last (adj.)

c. 1200, "latest, final, following all others," a contraction of Old English latost (adj.) "slowest, latest," superlative of læt (see late); in some uses from late (adv.). Cognate with Old Frisian lest, Dutch laatst, Old High German laggost, German letzt.

Meaning "last in space, furthest, most remote" is from late 14c.; meaning "most unlikely or unsuitable" is from mid-15c. Meaning "most recent, next before the present" (as in last night, last September) is from late 14c.; latest would be more correct, but idiom rules and the last time I saw her might mean the most recent time this hour or the final time forever.

The biblical last days ("belonging to the end") is attested from late 14c. Last hurrah is from the title of Edwin O'Connor's 1956 novel. Last word "final, definitive statement" is from 1650s. A dying person's last words so called by 1740. As an adjective, last-minute attested from 1913. Last-chance (adj.) is from 1962. Expression if it's the last thing I do, expressing strong determination, is attested by 1905.

last (v.)

"endure, go on existing," from Old English læstan "to continue, endure," earlier "follow (a leader), accomplish, carry out, perform," from Proto-Germanic *laistjan "to follow a track" (source also of Gothic laistjan "to follow after," Old Frisian lasta "to fulfill, to pay (duties)," German leisten "to perform, achieve, afford"), from PIE root *lois- "furrow, track." It is related to last (n.1), but not to last (adj.). Related: Lasted; lasting.

last-ditch (adj.)

"on the last line of defense," 1909, from an image attested by 1715, from a quote attributed to William of Orange (1650-1702), who is said to have uttered it defiantly during the French invasion of 1672; if so, originally in a Netherlands context.

lastly (adv.)

late 14c., from last (adj.) + -ly (2).

latakia (n.)

type of fine Turkish tobacco, 1833, from Latakia, city in Syria (see Laodicean).

latch (n.)

"device for catching and retaining," especially "a fastening for a door," late 13c., probably from latch (v.).

latch (v.)

Old English læccan "to grasp or seize, catch hold of," also "comprehend," from Proto-Germanic *lakkijanan. Not found in other Germanic languages; according to Watkins probably from PIE *(s)lagw- "to seize" (see lemma). In its original sense the verb was paralleled and then replaced by French import catch (v.). Meaning "to fasten with a latch" is mid-15c. Related: Latched; latching.

latchet (n.)

"strap or thong of a sandal or shoe," late 14c., lachet, from Old French lachet, variant of lacet, diminutive of las, laz "noose, string, cord, tie" (see lace (n.)). Spelling altered perhaps by influence of latch.

latch-key (n.)

also latchkey, "a key to raise or draw back the latch of a door" and allow one to enter from outside, 1825, from latch (n.) + key (n.1). Latchkey child first recorded 1944, American English, in reference to children coming home from school while both parents are away at work.

The older or simpler device was a latch-string, which could be pulled in to lock up; having it out was symbolic of openness.

lately (adv.)

Old English lætlice "slowly, sluggishly;" see late (adj.) + -ly (2). Meaning "within recent times, not long ago" is from late 15c., probably a new formation.

late (adj.)

Old English læt "occurring after the customary or expected time," originally "slow, sluggish, slack, lax, negligent," from Proto-Germanic *lata- (source also of Old Norse latr "sluggish, lazy," Middle Dutch, Old Saxon lat, Dutch laat, German laß "idle, weary," Gothic lats "weary, sluggish, lazy," latjan "to hinder"), from PIE *led- "slow, weary," from root *‌‌lē- "to let go, slacken."

From mid-13c. as "occurring in the latter part of a period of time." From c. 1400 as "being or occurring in the near, or not too distant, past; recent" (of late). From this comes the early 15c. sense "recently dead, not many years dead" (as in the late Mrs. Smith). Of menstruation, attested colloquially from 1962. Expression better late than never is attested from late 15c. As an adverb, from Old English late "slowly."

lateness (n.)

Old English lætness "slowness," from late (adj.) + -ness. From late 14c. as "a being advanced in time;" from 1881 as "a being behind the proper time."

latebrous (adj.)

"full of hiding places," 1650s, from Latin latebrosus, from latebra "a hiding place," from latere "to lie hidden" (see latent). Hence latebricole "living or lurking in holes" (of spiders, etc.), from Latin latebricola "one who dwells in lurking places."

lateen

1727, nativized spelling of French latine in voile latine, literally "Latin sail;" see Latin (adj.). So called because it was used in the Mediterranean.

La Tene (adj.)

1882 in archaeology in reference to La Tène, district at the end of Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland, where after c. 1860 relics were found from a prehistoric culture that dominated central Europe c. 3c. B.C.E.

latency (n.)

1630s, "condition of being concealed, unobserved existence," from latent + abstract noun suffix -cy. Meaning "delay between stimulus and response" is from 1882 (perhaps via the notion of "dormancy"); computer sense (latency time) is from 1954.

latent (adj.)

mid-15c., "concealed, secret," from Latin latentem (nominative latens) "lying hid, concealed, secret, unknown," present participle of latere "lie hidden, lurk, be concealed," from PIE *late-, suffixed form of root *lādh- "to be hidden" (source also of Greek lēthē "forgetfulness, oblivion," lēthargos "forgetful," lathre "secretly, by stealth," lathrios "stealthy," lanthanein "to be hidden;" Old Church Slavonic lajati "to lie in wait for"). Meaning "dormant, undeveloped" is from 1680s, originally in medicine.

laterality (n.)

1640s; see lateral + -ity.

-later

word-forming element meaning "worshipper," from Greek -latres "worshipper of," related to latreia "worship" (see -latry).

later (adj., adv.)

"afterward," 16c., comparative of late. A modern formation; the Old English comparative lator developed into latter. As a salutation, "farewell," from 1954, U.S. colloquial, short for adverbial use in (I'll) see you later.

lateral (adj.)

"of or pertaining to the side," early 15c., from Old French latéral (14c.) and directly from Latin lateralis "belonging to the side," from latus (genitive lateris) "the side, flank of humans or animals, lateral surface," a word of uncertain origin. Specific sense "situated on either side of the median vertical longitudinal plane of the body" [Century Dictionary] is from 1722.

As a noun, from 1630s, "a side part;" as a type of pass to the side in U.S. football, it is attested from 1934 (short for lateral pass). Related: Laterally.

Lateran

c. 1300, popular name of the cathedral church of St. John Lateran at Rome, which is built on the site of the palace of the Plautii Laterani, a Roman family. Given by Constantine to the bishop of Rome, as a papal headquarters and residence for nearly 1,000 years it was the site of five general councils of the Western Church, that of 1215 being regarded as most important. The Lateran Accords of 1929 settled the relationship between Italy and the Holy See.

latero-

combining form used from 19c. to represent Latin latus "the side, flank of humans or animals, lateral surface," a word of uncertain origin. The Latin word also was used to express intimacy, attachment, or relationship via the notion of "attach to the side, at the side of."

latescent (adj.)

"tending to become latent or obscure, not obvious to perception," 1836, from Latin latescentem (nominative latescens), present participle of latescere "to hide oneself, be hidden," inchoative of latere "to lie hidden" (see latent). Related: Latescence.

latesome (adj.)

Old English lætsum "backward, slow, sluggish;" see late + -some (1).

latest (adj.)

c. 1200, "last, final," superlative of late. From 1590s as "most recent." As a noun, 1520s, "the last in order." Colloquial the latest "the news" attested from 1886. At the latest "at the most distant date" is from 1884.

latex (n.)

1660s, "body fluid," from Latin latex (genitive laticis) "liquid, a liquid, fluid," probably from Greek latax "dregs," from PIE root *lat- "wet, moist" (source also of Middle Irish laith "beer," Welsh llaid "mud, mire," Lithuanian latakas "pool, puddle," Old Norse leþja "filth").

From 1835 as "milky liquid from plants." Meaning "water-dispersed polymer particles" (used in rubber goods, paints, etc.) is from 1937. As an adjective by 1954, in place of the classically correct laticiferous.

lath (n.)

"thin strip of wood" used chiefly in roof-building and plastering, late 13c., probably from an unrecorded Old English *læððe, variant of lætt "beam, lath," which is apparently from a Proto-Germanic *laþþo (source also of Old Saxon, Old Norse latta, Middle Dutch, German latte "lath," Dutch lat, Middle High German lade "plank," which is the source of German Laden "counter," hence, "shop"), but there are phonetic difficulties.

lath (v.)

"to cover or line with laths," 1530s, from lath (n.). Related: Lathed; lathing.

lathe (n.)

"machine for turning wood, etc., so it can be worked by a tool held at rest," early 14c., of uncertain origin, probably from a Scandinavian source. OED compares Danish drejelad "turning-lathe;" other compounds with the element suggest a sense "framework, supporting structure." Others see a possible connection to Old Norse hloeða "to lade, load, saddle (a horse)."

lather (n.)

Old English leaþr "foam, soap, washing soda," from Proto-Germanic *lauthran (source also of Old Norse lauðr "washing soap, foam"), from PIE *loutro- (source also of Gaulish lautron, Old Irish loathar "bathing tub," Greek louein "to bathe," Latin lavere "to wash"), which is from root *leue- "to wash" + instrumentative suffix *-tro-.

The modern noun might be a 16c. redevelopment from the verb. Meaning "violent perspiration" (especially of horses) is from 1650s; hence the transferred sense "state of agitation" (such as induces sweating), attested from 1839.

lather (v.)

from a Middle English variant of letheren (v.), from Old English leþran (late West Saxon lyþran) "become covered with (sweat, blood, etc.)," also transitive, from Proto-Germanic *lauthrjan (source also of Old Norse leyðra "to clean, wash;" see lather (n.)). Meaning "to form in froth, produce suds or foam" is from c. 1600. Related: Lathered; lathering.

Latian (adj.)

1590s, "of or pertaining to Latium (see Latin).

Latimer

also Lattimore, etc., surname, c. 1200, from late Old English latimer "interpreter," from Old French latimier, corruption of latinier, from Latin latinarius "interpreter," literally "a speaker of Latin" (see Latin (n.)). The corruption was perhaps originally graphic (OED) or arose in Vulgar Latin.

Latinate (adj.)

"derived from or characteristic of Latin," 1858, from Latin (n.) + -ate (1). An earlier adjective was Latinesque (1864). Wycliffe (1388) has Latinly and Old English had lædenisc, lædenlic.

Latinity (n.)

1610s, "pure Latin style," from Latin latinitas, from Latinus (see Latin (adj.)). From 1880 as "the civil rights of ancient Latins."

Latinize (v.)

"to render like or into the Latin language," 1580s, from Latin (n.) + -ize. Related: Latinized; Latinizing. The earlier verb was simply latin (1560s).

Latinism (n.)

"a Latin idiom or expression," 1560s, from Latin (n.) + -ism.

Latin (adj.)

Old English latin "in Latin," from Latin Latinus "Latin, Roman, in Latin," literally "belonging to Latium," the region of Italy around Rome, a name of uncertain origin. Possibly from PIE root *stela- "to spread, extend," with a sense of "flat country" (as opposed to the mountainous district of the Sabines), or from a prehistoric non-IE language. Old folk etymology connected it with Latin latere "to lie hidden," and a fable of Saturn.

The Latin word also is the source of Spanish and Italian ladino, Dutch latijn, German latein, Irish Gaelic laidionn (n.), Polish lacina, Russian latuinŭ. The more common form in Old English was læden (see Latin (n.)).

In reference to the Roman Catholic Church, 1550s. Used as a designation for "people whose languages descend from Latin" (1856), hence Latin America (1862). The Latin Quarter (French Quartier latin) of Paris, on the south (left) bank of the Seine, was the site of university buildings in the Middle Ages, hence it was the place where Latin was spoken. The surname Latimer means "interpreter," literally "a speaker of Latin."

Latin (n.)

"the language of the (ancient) Romans," Old English latin "Latin, the language of the Romans; any foreign language," from Latin latinium "the Latin language," noun use of the adjective latinius (see Latin (adj.)). The more common form in Old English was læden, from Vulgar Latin *ladinum, which probably was deformed by influence of Old English leoden "language." For "the Latin language" Old English also had lædenspræc.

In Old French the word was used very broadly, "speech, language:" "What Latin was to the learned, that their tongue was to laymen; hence latino was used for any dialect, even Arabic and the language of birds ...." [Donkin, "Etymological Dictionary of the Romance Languages," 1864].

Roughly speaking, Old Latin is the Latin before the classical period including early authors and inscriptions. Classical Latin flourished from about 75 B.C.E. to about 200 C.E., the Latin of Lucretius, Catullus, Caesar, Cicero, Virgil, Horace, Ovid, Livy, Seneca, etc.; it is the standard Latin of the grammars and dictionaries. Late Latin followed the classical period to about 600 and includes the early church fathers. Medieval Latin was the Latin of the Middle Ages, from about 600 to 1500. Modern Latin is Latin as written from about 1500 on, largely by scientific writers in description and classification. Vulgar Latin was the speech of the Roman home and marketplace, going on concurrently under Classical and Late Latin.

This bit of student doggerel said to have been often scrawled on inside covers of school books, seems to date to 1913 in this or similar wording.

Latin America

1862; see Latin (adj.). The notion is the nations whose languages descend from Latin. Related: Latin American (adj.), 1871.

Latinist (n.)

"a student of Latin, an expert in Latin," 1530s, from Latin (n.) + -ist. Also Latiner (1690s), and, for the petty sort, Latinitaster (1836).

Latino

"male Latin-American inhabitant of the United States" (fem. Latina), 1946, American English, from American Spanish, a shortening of Latinoamericano "Latin-American" (see Latin America). As an adjective, attested from 1974.

Latino-

prefix in use from 1939 as a combining form of Latin, from ablative of Latin latinus. By 1958 as a combining form from Latino.

latitude (n.)

late 14c., "breadth," from Old French latitude (13c.) and directly from Latin latitudo "breadth, width, extent, size," from lātus (adj.) "wide, broad, extensive" Old Latin stlatus, from PIE *stleto-, suffixed form of root *stele- "to spread, to extend" (source also of Old Church Slavonic steljo "to spread out," Armenian lain "broad").

Geographical and astronomical senses also are from late 14c., literally "breadth" of a map of the known world. Figurative sense of "allowable degree of variation, extent of deviation from a standard" is early 15c. Related: Latitudinal "pertaining to geographic latitude" (1777); latitudinous "having broadness of interpretation" (1829, American English).

latitudinarian (adj.)

1660s, "characterized by broad-mindedness," especially in reference to 17c. Episcopal clergymen indifferent to doctrinal details; a pseudo-Latin construction from latitude in its meaning "freedom from narrow restrictions" (c. 1600) + ending as in sectarian, etc. Also as a noun from 1660s. Related: Latitudinarianism "liberality of opinion in religion" (1670s); earlier in that sense was latitudinism (1660s).

latke (n.)

"pancake made with grated potatoes," 1925, American English, from Yiddish, from Russian latka "pastry," said to mean literally "a patch," but by Watkins traced to Greek elaia "olive."

latration (n.)

"barking," 1620s, noun of action from Latin latrare "to bark."

-latry

word-forming element meaning "worship of," used as an element in native formations from 19c. (such as bardolatry), from Greek -latreia "worship, service paid to the gods, hired labor," related to latron (n.) "pay, hire," latris "servant, worshipper," from PIE *le- (1) "to get" (see larceny).

latrine (n.)

c. 1300, laterin "a privy," probably from Latin latrina, latrinum, a contraction of lavatrina "washbasin, washroom," from lavatus, past participle of lavare "to wash" (from PIE root *leue- "to wash") + -trina, suffix denoting "workplace." The word's reappearance in 1640s probably is a re-borrowing from French. In modern use, especially of a public privy of a camp, barracks, college, hospital, etc. Latrine rumor "baseless gossip" (of the kind that spreads in conversations in latrines) is military slang, first recorded 1918.

latte (n.)

"espresso coffee with milk," by 1990, short for caffè latte, which is an Italian expression meaning "milk coffee," from Latin lac (genitive lactis) "milk" (from PIE root *g(a)lag- "milk"). Compare cafe au lait.

latter (adj.)

Old English lætra "slower," comparative of læt "late" (see late (adj.)). Meaning "belonging to a subsequent period" is from c. 1200. Sense of "that has been mentioned second of two or last" is first recorded 1550s.

In modern use the more common word is later, which is from mid-15c. and is perhaps a new formation or a variant of this word. Latter survives mostly in the phrase the latter, which, with the former is used to avoid repetition (but sometimes incorrectly, when more than two are involved).

latter (adv.)

Old English lator, "more slowly," comparative of late. From c. 1200 as "at a later time." Old English also had lætemest (adv.) "lastly, finally."

latter-day (adj.)

"belonging to recent times," 1842; see latter (adj.). Originally in Latter-day Saints, the Mormon designation for themselves.

latterly (adv.)

1734, from latter (adj.) + -ly (2). Called by Johnson [1755] "a low word lately hatched." Related: Lattermost.

lattice (n.)

"work with open spaces formed by crossing or interlacing of laths, bars, etc.," c. 1300, from Old French latiz "lattice," from late "lath, board, plank, batten" (Modern French latte), from Frankish or some other Germanic source, such as Old High German latta "lath" (see lath). As a verb from early 15c. Related: Latticed.

latticework (n.)

also lattice-work, late 15c., from lattice + work (n.).

Latvia

Baltic nation, first independent in 1918, named for its inhabitants, Latvian Latvji, whose ancient name is of unknown origin. In English, the people name was Lett. Parts of the modern state were known previously as Livonia (from Estonian liiv "sand") and Courland (from Curonians, the name of a Lettish people, which is of unknown origin). Related: Latvian.

lauds (n.)

"morning Church service in which psalms of praise to God (Psalms cxlviii-cl) are sung," mid-14c., from Old French Laudes "sung devotions; Lauds;" see laud.

laud (v.)

"praise highly, sing the praises of," late 14c., from Old French lauder "to praise, extol," from Latin laudare "to praise, commend, honor, extol, eulogize," from laus (genitive laudis) "praise, fame, glory." Probably from an echoic PIE root *leu- and cognate with Old English leoð "song, poem, hymn," from Proto-Germanic *leuthan (source also of Old Norse ljoð "strophe," German Lied "song," Gothic liuþon "to praise"). Related: Lauded; lauding.

laudable (adj.)

early 15c., from Old French laudable "praiseworthy, glorious" and directly from Latin laudabilis "praiseworthy," from laudare "to praise, commend, extol" (see laud). Related: Laudably.

laudanum (n.)

c. 1600, from Modern Latin laudanum (1540s), coined by Paracelsus for a medicine he mixed, supposed to contain gold and crushed pearls and many expensive ingredients, but probably owing its effectiveness to only one of them, opium. Perhaps from Latin laudare "to praise" (see laud), or from Latin ladanum "a gum resin," from Greek ladanon, a word perhaps of Semitic origin. The word soon came to be used for "any alcoholic tincture of opium." Latin ladanum was used in Middle English of plant resins, but this is not regarded as the source of the 16c. word.

laudation (n.)

"act of praising, commendation," late 15c., from Latin laudationem (nominative laudatio) "a praising, commendation," noun of action from past participle stem of laudare "to praise" (see laud).

laudatory (adj.)

"expressing praise," 1550s, from French laudatoire and directly from Late Latin laudatorius, from Latin laudare "to praise" (see laud).

laudator temporis acti

Latin phrase used of one who looks to the past as better times, 1736, from Horace's laudator temporis acti se puero "a praiser of times past when he was a boy" [Ars Poetica, 173], from laudator, agent noun of laudare "to praise" (see laud).

laugh (v.)

late 14c., from Old English (Anglian) hlæhhan, earlier hliehhan, hlihhan "to laugh, laugh at; rejoice; deride," from Proto-Germanic *klakhjan (source also of Old Norse hlæja, Danish le, Old Frisian hlakkia, Old Saxon hlahhian, Middle Dutch and Dutch lachen, Old High German hlahhan, German lachen, Gothic hlahjan), from PIE *kleg-, of imitative origin (compare Latin cachinnare "to laugh aloud," Sanskrit kakhati "laughs," Old Church Slavonic chochotati "laugh," Lithuanian klagėti "to cackle," Greek kakhazein).

Originally with a "hard" -gh- sound, as in Scottish loch; the spelling remained after the pronunciation shifted to "-f."

To laugh in one's sleeve is to laugh inwardly so as not to be observed:

"The phrase generally implies some degree of contempt, and is used rather of a state of feeling than of actual laughter" [Century Dictionary]. Related: Laughed; laugher; laughing.

laugh (n.)

1680s, "action of laughing," from laugh (v.). The older noun form is laughter. Meaning "a cause of laughter" is from 1895; ironic use (in that's a laugh) attested from 1930. Laugh track "pre-recorded laughter on a TV program" is from 1961.

laughing (n.)

mid-14c., verbal noun from laugh (v.). Laughing matter (usually with negative) is from 1560s. Nitrous oxide has been called laughing gas since 1842 (for its exhilarating effects). Humphry Davy, experimenting with the gas, discovered these as far back as 1779: "When I took the bag from my mouth, I immediately laughed. The laughter was involuntary, but highly pleasurable, accompanied by a thrill all through me."

laughable (adj.)

"fitted to excite laughter," 1590s, from laugh (v.) + -able. Related: Laughably. In this sense Old English had hleaterlic "laughterly."

laughing-stock (n.)

also laughingstock; 1510s, formed by analogy with whipping-stock "whipping post," later also "object of frequent whipping" (but that word is not attested in writing in this sense until 1670s). See laughing + stock (n.1). Also in the same sense was jesting-stock (1530s), and compare gaping-stock "person or thing regarded as an object of wonder;" loathing-stock "person who is an object of general contempt" (1620s); scoffing-stock (1570s). A Latin word for it was irridiculum.

Laughlin

Gaelic Lachlann, earlier Lochlann, literally "lake-" or "fjord-land," i.e. "Scandinavia;" as a name, denoting "one from Norway."

laughter (n.)

late 14c., from Old English hleahtor "laughter; jubilation; derision," from Proto-Germanic *hlahtraz (source also of Old Norse hlatr, Danish latter, Old High German lahtar, German Gelächter); see laugh (v.).

launch (n.2)

"large boat carried on a warship," 1690s, from Portuguese lancha "barge, launch," apparently from Malay (Austronesian) lancharan, from lanchar "quick, agile;" if so, the English spelling has been influenced by launch (v.).

launch (v.)

c. 1300, "to rush, plunge, leap, start forth; to be set into sudden motion," from Old North French lancher, Old French lancier "to fling, hurl, throw, cast," from Late Latin lanceare "wield a lance," from Latin lancea "light spear" (see lance (n.)).

Meaning "to throw, hurl, let fly" is from mid-14c. Sense of "set (a boat) afloat" first recorded c. 1400, from notion of throwing it out on the water; generalized by 1600 to any sort of beginning. Related: Launched; launching.

launch (n.1)

"a leap or a bound," mid-15c., from launch (v.). Meaning "place where a boat is launched" is from 1711. Meaning "the liftoff of a missile, spacecraft, etc." is from 1935. Launch pad attested from 1960.

launder (v.)

1660s, "to wash linen," from noun launder "one who washes" (especially linen), mid-15c., a contraction of lavender, from Old French lavandier "washer, launderer" (12c.), from Medieval Latin lavandaria "a washer," which is ultimately from Latin lavare "to wash" (from PIE root *leue- "to wash"). Criminal banking sense first recorded 1961, from notion of making dirty money clean; the word in this sense was brought to widespread use during U.S. Watergate scandal, 1973. Related: Laundered; laundering.

launderer (n.)

mid-15c., lawnderer "washerwoman, laundress;" see launder + -er (1).

laundress (n.)

1540s; see laundry + -ess.

laundry (n.)

late 14c., "place for washing;" mid-15c., "act of washing," a contraction (compare launder) of Middle English lavendrie (late 13c.), from Old French lavanderie "wash-house," from Vulgar Latin *lavandaria "things to be washed," plural of lavandarium, from Latin lavare "to wash" (from PIE root *leue- "to wash"). English meaning "articles that need to be or have been laundered" is from 1916. As a verb, from 1880. Laundry list in figurative sense is from 1958.

laundromat (n.)

"automatic coin-operated public laundry," 1946, originally (1942) a proprietary name by Westinghouse for a type of automatic washing machine; from laundry + ending probably suggested by automat. Earlier words for public clothes-washing places in U.S. were washateria (1935), laundrette (1945). Launderette is from 1947. The Westinghouse machine was popular after World War II and was available with coin chutes and timers.

Laura

fem. proper name, from Italian, probably originally a pet form of Laurentia, fem. of Laurentius (see Laurence). Among the top 20 names for girls born in U.S. between 1963 and 1979.

Laurasia

Paleozoic supercontinent comprising North America and Eurasia, 1931, from German (1928), from Laurentia, geologists' name for the ancient core of North America (see Laurentian) + second element of Eurasia.

laureate (adj.)

"crowned with laurels" (as a mark of distinction), late 14c., earliest reference is to poetic distinction, from Latin laureatus "crowned with laurels," from laurea "laurel crown" (emblematic of victory or distinction in poetry), from fem. of laureus "of laurel," from laurus "laurel" (see laurel (n.)).

Laureat poete is first found in "Canterbury Tales" (in reference to Petrarch — Fraunceys Petrak); it also was used in Middle English of Aesop and, by early 15c., of Chaucer. Inverted form poet laureate, in imitation of Latin word order, is from c. 1400 in English); the first official one probably was Ben Jonson (1638), though the first recorded one was Dryden (1668). Extended 1947 to Nobel prize winners. As a noun, 1520s, from the adjective or from a mistaken reading of poet laureate. Related: Laureateship (1732), laureation.

laurel (n.)

mid-14c. variant of lorrer (c. 1300), from Old French laurier, lorier "bay tree, laurel tree" (12c.), from Latin laurus "laurel tree," which is probably related to Greek daphne "laurel" (for change of d- to l- see lachrymose), which is probably from a pre-IE Mediterranean language.

The second -r- changed to -l- in late Middle English by dissimilation. An emblem of victory or of distinction, hence the phrase to rest (originally repose) on one's laurels, first attested 1831. Related: Laurine (adj.).

Laurence

masc. proper name, from Old French Lorenz (French Laurent), from Latin Laurentius, literally "of Laurentum," a maritime town in Latium, the name of which means literally "town of bay trees," from laurus (see laurel). The Italian form is Lorenzo.

A popular given name in the Middle Ages, as a surname it is attested in England from mid-12c. Larkin is a pet-form, along with Larry. For some reason, the name at least since 18c. has been the personification of indolence (compare German der faule Lenz "Lazy Lawrence"). But in Scotland, the pet form Lowrie has been used for "a fox" (c. 1500), also for "a crafty person" (1560s). Lawrence is the Law- in the surname Lawson, and a diminutive pet form is preserved in the surname Lowery/Laurie, etc.

Laurentian

in reference to granite strata in eastern Canada, 1854 (Sir W.E. Logan and T. Sterry Hunt), named for the Laurentian Mountains (where it is found), which are named for the nearby St. Lawrence River (see Laurence). Hence, Laurasia. The Laurentian library in Florence is named for Lorenzo (Latin Laurentius) de' Medici.

lautitious (adj.)

"sumptuous," 1640s, from Latin lautitia "elegance, splendor, magnificence," from lautus "neat, elegant, splendid," literally "washed," past participle of lavare "to wash" (from PIE root *leue- "to wash").

lav (n.)

1913 as a colloquial shortening of lavatory.

lava (n.)

"molten rock issuing from a volcano," 1750, from Italian (Neapolitan or Calabrian dialect) lava "torrent, stream," traditionally said to be from Latin lavare "to wash" (from PIE root *leue- "to wash"). Originally applied in Italian to flash flood rivulets after downpours, then to streams of molten rock from Vesuvius. Alternative etymology is from Latin labes "a fall," from labi "to fall, slip" (see lapse (n.)). As an adjective, lavatic (1805), laval (1883). Lava lamp is attested from 1965, also lava light (reg. U.S., 1968, as Lava Lite).