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 4

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 4

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

lakin

4 of 4

noun (3)

lak·​in
ˈlākə̇n
variants or laking
-kə̇n
-kiŋ
plural -s
dialectal, British

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
The two, who were getting married on Lake Catherine, were celebrating their night before at Natalie’s dad’s house on the lake. Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026 During August arguments, Watts noted that the century-old case involved an inland lake rather than Lake Michigan, where the legal framework may differ. Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2026 At the heart of Madrid’s Golden Art Triangle of museums, the Prado is at your doorstep, as is Retiro Park with its monumental fountains and boating lake. Eddi Fiegel, Robb Report, 3 Sep. 2026 Vista Fleet’s Coffee and Colors Sunrise Cruise sails along the shoreline of Duluth, Minnesota’s Lake Superior, the world’s largest freshwater lake by surface area. Kristine Hansen, Travel + Leisure, 3 Sep. 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

Noun (3)

of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse leika toy, doll, from leika to play

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 4 Sep. 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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