A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

liter --- 1797, from Fr. litre (1793), from litron, obsolete Fr. measure of capacity for grain, from M.L. litra, from Gk. litra "pound," apparently from the same Sicilian Italic source as L. libra.

literal --- 1382, "taking words in their natural meaning" (originally in ref. to Scripture and opposed to mystical or allegorical), from O.Fr. literal, from L.L. lit(t)eralis "of or belonging to letters or writing," from L. lit(t)era "letter." Sense of "verbally exact" is attested from 1599. Literal-minded is attested from 1869. Literally is often used erroneously, even by writers like Dryden and Pope, to indicate "what follows must be taken in the strongest admissible sense" (1687), which is opposite to the word's real meaning.

literary --- 1646, "pertaining to alphabet letters," from Fr. littéraire, from L. lit(t)erarius "belonging to letters or learning," from lit(t)era "letter." Meaning "pertaining to literature" is attested from 1749.

literate --- 1432, from L. lit(t)eratus "educated, learned," lit. "one who knows the letters," formed in imitation of Gk. grammatikos from L. lit(t)era "letter." Literacy was formed in Eng. and first appears 1883, but illiteracy dates back to 1660.

literati --- men and women of letters; the learned class as a whole, 1621, from L. lit(t)erati, pl. of lit(t)eratus "lettered" (see literate). The proper sing. would be literatus, though It. literato (1704) sometimes is used.

literature --- c.1375, from L. lit(t)eratura "learning, writing, grammar," originally "writing formed with letters," from lit(t)era "letter." Originally "book learning" (it replaced O.E. boccræft), the meaning "literary production or work" is first attested 1779 in Johnson's "Lives of the English Poets" (he didn't include this definition in his dictionary, however); that of "body of writings from a period or people" is first recorded 1812.

lithe --- O.E. liðe "soft, mild, gentle, meek," from P.Gmc. *linthijaz (cf. O.S. lithi, O.H.G. lindi, Ger. lind, O.N. linr, with characteristic loss of "n" before "th" in Eng.), from PIE base *lent- "flexible" (cf. L. lentus "flexible, pliant, slow"). In M.E., used of the weather. Current sense of "easily flexible" is from c.1400.

lithium --- silver-white metallic element, 1818, coined in Mod.L. by Swed. chemist Jöns Jacob Berzelius (1779-1848) from Gk. lithos "stone," from its mineral origin and to distinguish it from two previously known alkalis of vegetable origin.

lithography --- 1813, from Ger. Lithographie (c.1804), coined from Gk. lithos "stone" + graphein "write." The original printing surfaces were of stone. Process invented 1796 by Alois Senefelder of Munich (1771-1833). Hence, lithograph "a lithographic print," a back-formation first attested 1828. Earlier senses, now obsolete, were "description of stones or rocks" (1708) and "art of engraving on precious stones" (1730).

lithosphere --- solid part of the earth's surface, from Gk. lithos "stone" + sphere.

Lithuania --- from Lith. Lietuva, of unknown origin, perhaps from a PIE source related to L. litus "shore" and thus meaning "shoreland."

litigation --- 1567, "disputation," from L.L. litigationem (nom. litigatio), from L. litigatus, pp. of litigare "to dispute, quarrel, strive," from litem (nom. lis, gen. litis) "lawsuit, dispute, quarrel, strife" + root of agere "to drive, conduct" (see act). Meaning "act of carrying on a lawsuit" is from 1647.

litigious --- 1382, "fond of disputes," from L. litigiosus "contentious, quarrelsome," from litigium "dispute, strife," related to litigare (see litigate). Meaning "fond of engaging in lawsuits" is from 1622. Earlier in Eng. than litigate (1615) or litigation (q.v.).

litmus --- c.1325, from M.Du. lijkmoes (Du. lakmoes), from lac (see lac) + moes "pulp." The other theory is that it represents O.N. litmose, lit. "lichen for dying," from O.N. lita "to dye, to stain," from litr "color, dye," from P.Gmc. *wlitiz (cf. O.E. wlite "brightness, beauty," O.Fris. wlite "exterior, form," Goth. *wlits "face, form") + mos "moss." Yet another idea connects the first element to M.Du. leken "to drip, leak." Whichever was the original word, it probably was influenced by the others. The dye is obtained from certain lichens. It is naturally blue but turns red in acid and is restored to blue by alkalis. Figurative use of litmus test is first attested 1957, from scientific use of litmus-treated paper as a chemical indicator. Litmus paper with this meaning is from 1803.

litter --- c.1300, "a bed," also "bed-like vehicle carried on men's shoulders" (c.1330), from Anglo-Fr. litere "portable bed," from O.Fr. litiere, from M.L. lectaria "litter" (altered in O.Fr. by influence of lit "bed"), from L. lectus "bed, couch." Meaning extended c.1430 to "straw used for bedding" (1314 in Anglo-Fr.) and 1486 to "offspring of an animal at one birth" (in one bed); sense of "scattered oddments, disorderly debris" is first attested 1730, probably from M.E. verb literen "provide with bedding" (1398), with notion of strewing straw. The verb meaning "to strew with objects" is from 1713. Litterbug first recorded 1947. Littering "act of dropping litter" is from 1960.

little --- O.E. lytel (related to lyt "little, few," from P.Gmc. *luti), from W.Gmc. *lutila- (cf. Du. luttel, O.H.G. luzzil, Ger. lützel, Goth. leitils), from PIE *leud- "small." "Often synonymous with small, but capable of emotional implications which small is not" [OED]. Phrase the little woman "wife" attested from 1795. Little people "the faeries" is from 1726; as "children," it is attested from 1752; as "ordinary people" it is attested from 1827. Little Neck clams (1884) are so called for Little Neck, Long Island, a "neck" of land on the island's North Shore. Little by little is from 1483 (litylle be litille).

littoral (adj.) --- 1656, from L. littoralis "of or belonging to the seashore," from litus (gen. litoris) "seashore" (cf. Lido), of unknown origin. The noun is first recorded 1828, from It. littorale, originally an adj., from L. littoralis.

liturgy --- 1560, "the service of the Holy Eucharist," from M.Fr. liturgie, from L.L. liturgia "public service, public worship," from Gk. leitourgia, from leitourgos "one who performs a public ceremony or service, public servant," from leito- "public" (from laos "people;" cf. leiton "public hall," leite "priestess") + -ergos "that works," from ergon "work" (see urge (v.)). Meaning "collective formulas for the conduct of divine service in Christian churches" is from c.1593.

Litvak --- Jew from Lithuania, 1892, from Pol. Litwak "Lithuanian."

live (adj.) --- 1542, "having life," later (1611) "burning, glowing," aphetic of alive (q.v.). Sense of "containing unspent energy or power" (live ammunition, etc.) is from 1799; live wire is attested from 1890; fig. sense of "active person" is from 1903. Meaning "in-person (performance)" is first attested 1934. Livestock is attested from 1523 (see stock (n.2)).

live (v.) --- O.E. lifian (Anglian), libban (W.Saxon) "to be alive," also "to supply oneself with food, to pass life (in some condition)," from P.Gmc. stem *libæ (cf. O.N. lifa, O.Fris. libba, Ger. leben, Goth. liban "to live"), from PIE base *leip- "to remain, continue" (cf. Gk. liparein "to persist, persevere;" see leave).

livelihood --- c.1300, livelode "means of keeping alive," from O.E. lifad "course of life," from lif "life" + lad "way, course" (see load). Spelling assimilated 16c. to words in -hood. Earlier livelihood was a different word, meaning "liveliness."

livelong --- c.1400, lefe longe (day), from leve, lief "dear" (see lief), used here as an emotional intensive + long. From late 16c. the first word was mistaken for live (v.). Ger. has cognate die liebe lange Nacht, lit. "the dear long night."

lively --- O.E. liflic "living, existing," lit. "life-like;" sense of "active, energetic" developed by 1225.

liven --- 1884, colloquial shortening of 17c. enliven.

liver --- secreting organ of the body, O.E. lifer, from P.Gmc. *librn (cf. O.N. lifr, O.Fris. livere, M.Du. levere, O.H.G. lebara, Ger. Leber "liver"), perhaps lit. "fatten up." In M.E. it rivaled the heart as the supposed seat of love and passion, hence lily-livered (see lily).

Liverpool --- Eng. city on the River Mersey, Liuerpul (c.1190) "Pool with Muddy Water," from O.E. lifer + pol. The adj. and noun Liverpudlian (with jocular substitution of puddle for pool) is attested from 1833.

liverwort --- late O.E. lifenwyrt, from lifer "liver" + wyrt "wort." A loan-translation of M.L. hepatica. Applied to various plants with liver-shaped leaves or that were used to treat liver disorders. Cf. Ger. leberkraut.

liverwurst --- 1869, Amer.Eng., partial translation of Ger. Leberwurst, from Leber "liver" + Wurst "sausage."

livery --- c.1300, "household allowance of any kind (food, provisions, clothing) to retainers or servants," from Anglo-Fr. livere (1292), O.Fr. livrée, originally "(clothes) delivered by a master to his servants," from fem. pp. of livrer "to dispense, deliver, hand over," from L. liberare (see liberate). The sense later was reduced to "servants' rations" and "provender for horses" (c.1440). The former led to the meaning "distinctive clothing given to servants" (c.1325); the latter now is obsolete except in livery stable (1705).

livid --- 1622, "of a bluish-leaden color," from M.Fr. livide, from L. lividus, from livere "be bluish," from PIE *(s)liwos-, from base *(s)li- "bluish" (cf. O.C.S., Rus. sliva "plum;" Lith. slywas "plum;" O.Ir. li, Welsh lliw "color, splendor," O.E. sla "sloe"). The sense of "furiously angry" (1912) is from the notion of being livid with rage.

living (adj.) --- c.1325, "the fact of dwelling in some place," from O.E. lifiende, prp. of lifan (see live (v.)). The noun meaning "action, process, or method of gaining one's livelihood" is attested from 1538. Living memory "within the memory of people still living" is attested from 1855. Living room "room set up for ordinary social use" is from 1825 (as opposed to bedroom, dining room, etc.).

livre --- former Fr. money, 1553, from Fr., from L. libra "pound" (see Libra). Equivalent to the 20c. franc, it was made up of 20 sous.

lizard --- an animal resembling a serpent, with legs added to it [Johnson], 1377, from Anglo-Fr. lusard, from O.Fr. lesard (fem. laisarde), from L. lacertus (fem. lacerta) "lizard," of unknown origin, perhaps from PIE base *leq- "to bend, twist."

Lizzie --- pet form of fem. proper name Elizabeth, used colloquially for "a motor car" (esp. an early-model Ford) from 1913.

llama --- 1600, from Sp. llama (1535), from Quechua (Peru) llama, which the Sp. translated as "sheep."

llano --- 1613, Amer.Sp., "prairie," from Sp. llano "plain, even, level, smooth," ult. from L. planum "plain," from planus "smooth" (see plane (1)). Hence, llanero "a Latin-American cowboy" (1878), lit. "plainsman."

Llewelyn --- male proper name, from Welsh Llywelin, often explained as "lion-like," but probably from llyw "leader."

Lloyd --- male proper name, from Welsh llwyd "grey." Lloyd's in ref. to the London-based association of marine underwriters is first recorded 1819, from Lloyd's Coffee House, Tower Street, London, opened in 1688 by Edward Lloyd, who supplied shipping information to his clients.

lo --- from O.E. la, exclamation of surprise, grief, or joy, influenced in M.E. by lo!, short for lok "look!" imperative of loken "to look."

loach --- small European fish, 1357, from O.Fr. loche (13c.), also, in dialect, "slug," of unknown origin.

load (n.) --- that which is laid upon a person or beast, burden, 1225, from O.E. lad "way, course, carrying," from P.Gmc. *laido (cf. O.H.G. leita, Ger. leite, O.N. leið "way, course"); related to O.E. lædan "to guide" (see lead (v.)). Sense shifted 13c. to supplant words based on lade (q.v.), to which it is not etymologically connected; original association with "guide" is preserved in lodestone (see lode). Meaning "amount customarily loaded at one time" is from 1384. Fig. sense of "burden weighing on the mind, heart, or soul" is first attested 1593. Meaning "amount of work" is from 1946. Colloquial loads "lots" is attested from 1606. The verb is from 1495; of firearms from 1626. To take one's load "drink one's fill" is from 1598; hence slang loaded "drunk" (1886). In the sense of "rich," loaded is attested from 1910. Phrase take a load off one's feet "sit down, relax" is from 1945. Get a load of "take a look at" is Amer.Eng. colloquial, attested from 1929.

loaf (n.) --- O.E. hlaf "bread, loaf," from P.Gmc. *khlaibuz (cf. O.N. hleifr, Swed. lev, Ger. Laib, Goth. hlaifs), of uncertain origin, perhaps connected to O.E. hlifian "to raise higher, tower," on the notion of the bread rising as it bakes, but it is unclear whether "loaf" or "bread" is the original sense. O.C.S. chlebu, Finn. leipä, Lith. klepas probably are Gmc. loan words. Meaning "chopped meat shaped like a bread loaf" is attested from 1787.

loaf (v.) --- 1835, Amer.Eng., back-formation from loafer (1830), which often is regarded as a variant of land loper (1795), a partial loan-translation of Ger. Landläufer "vagabond," from Land "land" + Läufer "runner," from laufen "to run" (see leap). But OED finds this "not very probable." Loafer, the type of shoe, is attested from 1939, originally a brand name (Fortnum and Mason Ltd., London).

loam --- O.E. lam "clay, mud, mire, earth," from P.Gmc. *laimaz (cf. O.S. lemo, Du. leem, Ger. Lehm), from PIE root *lai-/*li- "to be sticky" (see lime (1)). As a type of highly fertile clayey soil, it is attested from 1664.

loan --- c.1240, from O.N. lan, related to lja "to lend," from P.Gmc. *laikhwniz (cf. O.H.G. lihan "to borrow," Ger. leihen, Goth. leihan "to lend"), originally "to let have, to leave (to someone)," from PIE *leikw- (see relinquish). The O.N. word also is cognate with O.E. læn "gift," which did not survive into M.E., but its derived verb lænan is the source of lend (q.v.). As a verb, loan is attested from 1625 and was formerly current, but has now been supplanted in England by lend, though it survives in Amer.Eng. Loan word (1874) is a translation of Ger. Lehnwort; loan-translation is attested 1933, from Ger. Lehnübersetzung. Slang loan shark first attested 1905.

loath --- O.E. lað "hostile, repulsive," from P.Gmc. *laithaz (cf. O.Fris. leed, O.N. leiðr "hateful, hostile, loathed," M.Du. lelijc, Du. leelijk "ugly," O.H.G. leid "sorrowful, hateful, offensive, grievous," Ger. Leid "sorrow," Fr. laid "ugly," from Frank. *laid). Weakened meaning "averse, disinclined" is attested from c.1374. Loath to depart, a line from some long-forgotten song, is recorded since 1584 as a generic term expressive of any tune played at farewells, the sailing of a ship, etc.

loathe --- O.E. laðian "to hate, to be disgusted with," from lað "hostile" (see loath). Cognate with O.S. lethon, O.N. leiða. Loathsome is attested from c.1300.

lob (v.) --- send up in a slow, high arc, 1824 (implied in lobbing), but the word existed 16c. in various senses suggesting "heavy, pendant, or floppy things," and is probably ult. from an unrecorded O.E. word; cf. E.Fris. lobbe "hanging lump of flesh," Du. lob "hanging lip, ruffle, hanging sleeve," Dan. lobbes "clown, bumpkin."

lobby --- 1553, from M.L. laubia, lobia "covered walk in a monastery," from a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. louba "hall, roof;" see lodge (n.)). Meaning "large entrance hall in a public building" is from 1640. Political sense of "those who seek to influence legislation" is attested 1808 in Amer.Eng., in ref. to the custom of influence-seekers gathering in large entrance-halls outside legislative chambers. The verb in this sense is first attested 1850. Lobbyist is first attested 1863.

lobe --- 1525, from M.L. lobus, from L.L. lobus "hull, husk, pod," from Gk. lobos "lobe of the ear, vegetable pod," probably related to Gk. leberis "husk of fruits," from PIE *logwos, from base *lep- "to peel." Extended 1672 to divisions of the brain.

loblolly --- thick gruel, 1597, probably from lob, onomatopoeic of bubbling and boiling + lolly, obs. Devonshire dial. for "broth, soup, food boiled in a pot."

lobotomy --- 1936, coined from lobe (in the brain sense) + medical suffix -tomy, from Gk. tome "a cutting," from temnein "to cut" (see tome). Fig. use is attested from 1953.

lobster --- O.E. loppestre, corruption of L. locusta "lobster, locust," by influence of O.E. loppe "spider," a variant of lobbe. Trilobite fossils in Worcestershire limestone quarries were known colloquially as locusts, which seems to be the generic word for "unidentified arthropod," as apple is for "foreign fruit." But OED says the L. word originally meant "lobster or some similar crustacean, the application to the locust being suggested by the resemblance in shape." Locusta in sense "lobster" also borrowed in Fr. (langouste), Old Cornish (legast). The ending of O.E. loppestre is the fem. agent noun suffix (cf. Baxter, Webster; see -ster), which approximated the L. sound. Slang for "a British soldier" since 1643, originally in reference to the jointed armor of the Roundhead cuirassiers, later (1660) to the red coat.

loc. cit. --- 1854, abbrev. of L. loco citato, or locus citatus "in the place cited," hence, "in the book that has been previously quoted."

local (adj.) --- 1392, "pertaining to position," from O.Fr. local, from L.L. localis "pertaining to a place," from L. locus "place" (see locus). The meaning "limited to a particular place" is from 1615. The noun meaning "a local train" is from 1879; "local branch of a trade union" is from 1888; "neighborhood pub" is from 1934.

locale --- 1772, from Fr. local, noun use of local (adj.), from L. locus "place." Spelling with -e is probably based on morale.

locality --- 1628, "fact of having a place," from Fr. localité, from L.L. localitatem (nom. localitas) "locality," from localis "belonging to a place" (see local). Meaning "a place or district" is from 1830.

locate (v.) --- 1652, "to establish oneself in a place, settle," from L. locatus, pp. of locare "to place," from locus "a place." Sense of "mark the limits of a place" (especially a land grant) is attested from 1739 in Amer.Eng.; this developed to "establish (something) in a place" (1807) and "to find out the place of" (1882, Amer.Eng.). Location "position, place" is from 1597; Hollywood sense of "place outside a film studio where a scene is filmed" is from 1914.

locative --- grammatical case indicating place, 1804, from L. locus "place," on model of L. vocativus "vocative," from vocatus, pp. of vocare "to call, summon" (see voice).

loch --- 1375, from Gael. loch "lake, narrow arm of the sea," cognate with O.Ir. loch "body of water, lake," Bret. lagen, Anglo-Ir. lough, L. lacus (see lake (1)). The Loch Ness monster is first attested 1933.

lock (1) --- means of fastening, O.E. loc "bolt, fastening, enclosure," from P.Gmc. *lokom/*lukom (cf. O.N. lok "fastening, lock," Goth. usluks "opening," O.H.G. loh "dungeon," Ger. Loch "opening, hole," Du. luck "shutter, trapdoor"). "The great diversity of meaning in the Teut. words seems to indicate two or more independent but formally identical substantival formations from the root." The river sense is from c.1300, on notion of "barrier, enclosure." Wrestling sense is from 1608. The lock of a firearm (1547) probably so called for its resemblance to a door-latching device. Locksmith first attested 1226. Locker is c.1440, from M.E. lokken. The verb is c.1300, from O.E. lucan "to lock, to close" (class II strong verb; past tense leac, pp. locen). Slang lock horns "fight" is from 1839. Lock-up "detention cell for offenders" is from 1839.

lock (2) --- tress of hair, from O.E. locc, from P.Gmc. *lukkoz (cf. O.N. lokkr, O.Fris., Du. lok, Ger. Locke "lock of hair"), from PIE *lugnos-, from base *lug- "to bend, to twist" (cf. Gk. lygos "pliant twig, withe," Lith. lugnas "flexible").

locket --- 1354, "iron cross-bar of a window," from O.Fr. loquet "latch," dim. of loc "lock, latch," from Frank. (cf. O.N. lok "fastening, lock"). Meaning "ornamental case with hinged cover" (containing a lock of hair, miniature portrait, etc.) first recorded 1679.

lock-jaw --- 1803, earlier locked-jaw (1765), popular name for trismus, also applied to tetanus, from lock (1) + jaw.

loco --- 1844, Amer.Eng., from Sp. loco (adj.) "insane," of uncertain origin, perhaps from Arabic lauqa, fem. of 'alwaq "fool, crazy person." Loco-weed (1879) was name given to species of western U.S. plants that cause cattle and horse diseases that make them stagger and act strangely.

loco foco --- self-igniting cigar or match, 1839 (but presumably older), Amer.Eng., of unknown origin, perhaps from a misapprehension of the meaning of the first element of locomotive as "self-" + Sp. fuego "fire." During one heated political meeting in N.Y., the lights went out and the delegates used such matches to relight them, thence the name loco-foco entered U.S. political jargon (1837), usually applied to a radical faction of the Democratic Party, but by the Whigs applied to all Democrats.

locomotion --- 1646, formed in Eng. from L. loco "from a place" (abl. of locus "place") + motionem (nom. motio) "motion, a moving."

locomotive (adj.) --- 1612, "pertaining to movement," from Fr. locomotif (fem. locomotive), from L. loco "from a place" (abl. of locus "place") + L.L. motivus "moving" (see motive). The noun meaning "railroad engine" is from 1829, short for locomotive engine (1815).

locus --- (pl. loci), 1715, "locality," from L. locus "place," from O.Latin stlocus, lit. "where something is placed," from PIE base *st(h)el- "to cause to stand, to place." Used by L. writers for Gk. topos.

locust (1) --- grasshopper, c.1300, borrowed earlier in O.Fr. form languste (c.1200), from L. locusta "locust, lobster" (see lobster).

locust (2) --- N.Amer. tree, 1640, originally "carob tree" (1615), whose fruit supposedly resembled the insect. Gk. akris "locust" was often applied in the Levant to carob pods. Soon applied in Eng. to other trees as well.

locution --- 1432, from L. locutionem (nom. locutio) "a speaking," from locatus, pp. of loqui "to speak."

lode --- original M.E. spelling of load (q.v.), and custodian of most of the original meaning. Differentiation in sense took place 16c. Mining sense of "vein of metal ore" is from 1602, from notion of miners "following" it through the rock. Lodestone "magnetic oxide of iron" (1515) was used as a magnet to guide mariners; lodestar (c.1374) was an old name for the pole star (cf. O.N. leiðarstjarna) as the star that "leads the way" in navigation.

lodge (n.) --- 1231, from O.Fr. loge "arbor, covered walk" (Mod.Fr. "hut, cabin, lodge box at a theater"), from Frank. *laubja "shelter" (cognate with O.H.G. louba "porch, gallery," Ger. Laube "bower, arbor"), likely originally "shelter of foliage," from the root of leaf. "Hunter's cabin" sense is first recorded 1465. Sense of "local branch of a society" is first recorded 1686, from 14c. logge "workshop of masons." The verb is c.1225, "to stay in a lodge, to put someone up in a lodge," from O.Fr. logier, from loge. Sense of "to get a thing in the intended place, to make something stick" is from 1611.

loess --- 1833 (in Lyell), "unstratified deposit of loam," coined 1823 by K.C. von Leonhard from Ger. Löss "yellowish-gray soil," from Swiss Ger. lösch (adj.) "loose" (cf. Ger. los; see loose).

loft --- an upper chamber, c.1300, from late O.E. loft "air," from O.N. lopt "air, sky," originally "upper story, loft, attic" (Scand. -pt- pronounced like -ft-), from P.Gmc. *luftuz "air, sky" (cf. O.E. lyft, Du. lucht, O.H.G. luft, Ger. Luft, Goth. luftus "air"). Sense development is from "loft, ceiling" to "sky, air." Buck suggests ult. connection with O.H.G. louft "bark," louba "roof, attic," etc., with development from "bark" to "roof made of bark" to "ceiling," though this did not directly inform the meaning "air, sky." Meaning "gallery in a church" first attested 1504. Verb meaning "to hit a ball high in the air" is first attested 1857, originally in golf. Lofty "exalted" is from 14c.