Synonyms of lakenext
often attributive
: a considerable inland body of standing water
also : a pool of other liquid (such as lava, oil, or pitch)

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Ecosystems like wetlands, rivers and lakes play an important role in protecting biodiversity and protecting communities from disasters like floods, making conservation powerful for both nature and people. — Sarah Jones, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2026 But even just our average rainfall, that's typically when the lake recharges is during the winter and early spring. — Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026 The 50,000-acre working high-country sheep and cattle farm owned by the Wallis family is set deep within a dramatic glacial valley and is bordered by Mount Aspiring National Park near Lake Wanaka, one of the country’s largest lakes. — Luke Abrahams, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026 Years after the plan was made, some of the questions being revisited are whether plans should still include a lake filled with potable water during an ongoing drought. — Sarah Horbacewicz, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lake

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of lake was in the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lake. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

lake

noun
ˈlāk
: a large inland body of standing water
also : a pool of liquid (as oil or pitch)

Medical Definition

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

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