Word origins

• keelsonA longitudinal beam fastened on top of the keel of a vessel for strength and stiffness.
• keepableThat can be kept or is worth keeping.
• keep timeTo measure time.
• keep upTo maintain; to preserve; to prevent from deteriorating or falling.
• keeveA bleaching vat; a kier.
• kembsterA woman who cleans or combs out wool
• kernellyFull of kernels; resembling kernels; of the nature of kernels.
• kevelA strong cleat to which large ropes are belayed.
• kilderkinA small barrel.
• -kinUsed to form adjectives expressing resemblance or likeness to, similar to -like.
• -kindUsed to form nouns denoting groups or classes taken collectively from animate nouns
• kindfulNatural.
• King ArthurA legendary king of Britain, said to have led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century.
• Kingdom of HeavenA concept of heaven as a hierarchical dominion with God at the top and a court of saints, archangels and angels.
• kinghoodThe quality or state of being a king.
• kinglessWithout a king.
• king-of-armsOne of the three chief heralds of the College of Arms, designated as Garter (Principal King of Arms), Clarenceux (for England south of the Trent and Wales), and Norroy & Ulster (for England north of the Trent and Northern Ireland).
• king of beastsThe lion.
• kipeAn osier basket used for catching fish.
• kirkgarthA churchyard.
• kirktownA small town or village in the vicinity of a parish church.
• kirtleA knee-length tunic.
• kith and kinBoth friends and family.
• kitheTo make known; to reveal.
• kitlingAny young animal; cub, whelp, kit.
• knagA short spur or stiff projection from the trunk or branch of a tree, such as the stunted dead branch of a fir
• knarA knot or burl in a tree; a knurl, a gnarl.
• knarryknotty; gnarled
• knavishHaving the characteristics of a knave; mischievous, roguish, waggish, rascally or impertinent.
• kneaderOne who kneads.
• knee-deepReaching up to the knees.
• kneelinglyIn a kneeling position.
• knight serviceThe military service a knight owed to his chief lord as a condition of holding title to his lands and rank.
• knightshipThe honor bestowed that makes someone a knight.
• knitchA small bundle.
• knobbleA small knob.
• knoppedHaving knops or knobs
• knottinessThe state of being knotty.
• knottleA knob.
• knurA knurl.
• kocayA place used for urination and defecation: a latrine; an outhouse; a lavatory.
• kyrkmasterA churchwarden.
• lacklessDevoid of lack.
• ladilyOf or having the qualities of a lady.
• ladlefulA sufficient quantity to fill a ladle.
• Lady Day25th March, an English quarter day.
• laidlyugly; loathsome
• laitandSeeking; inquiring.
• lakeringPlaying; sport; jesting.
• lakyOf, pertaining to, or resembling a lake.
• lambishCharacteristic of a lamb; lamblike
• lamb's cressAn annual or biennial species of plant (Cardamine hirsuta) in the family Brassicaceae that is edible as a salad green.
• lampernEuropean river lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis).
• lamp oilAny clean-burning oil used as fuel in an oil lamp.
• lancegayA type of spear, javelin or lance.
• landishOf, pertaining to, or characteristic of the land
• land snailAny species of snail that lives on land (Caenogastropoda spp. etc.).
• lapis lazuliA deep blue stone, used in making jewelry, and traditionally used to make the pigment ultramarine.
• lapper-milkcurdled milk
• lardererSomeone in charge of a larder.
• lardinerAn officer originally charged with overseeing a larder, but who later became a sinecurist.
• lardonMeat strips used for larding, especially salted pork.
• latchetA small lever action crossbow with the cocking lever built into the top of the stock and a top mounted trigger.
• latesomeMarked by lateness; characteristically late
• LatinerSynonym of interpreter.
• latredSlow; tardy.
• lattenAn alloy of copper and tin, similar to bronze, with a sufficient portion of tin to make it a pewter-like color with yellowish tinge (rather than the brownish-gold color of bronze of higher copper content), once used in thin sheets and for domestic utensils and light-duty tools.
• laundA grassy plain or pasture, especially surrounded by woodland; a glade.
• laverocklark (bird).
• law dayA day when a local court meets, especially the court for each of the hundreds (administrative divisions)
• lay a finger onTo merely touch.
• lay downTo give up, surrender, or yield (e.g. a weapon), usually by placing it on the ground.
• -leA frequentative suffix of verbs, indicating repetition or continuousness
• leadinessThe quality of being leady.
• leadishResembling or containing lead (the metal).
• leadsmanlodesman (a leader or guide)
• leadySynonym of leaden, of or related to the metal lead.
• leaffulAn amount or measure held by a leaf.
• leafulFull of faith; believing.
• leafwormA caterpillar, especially that eats the leaves of plants.
• leap yearA year in the Julian or Gregorian calendar with an intercalary day added to February (in the Gregorian calendar, February 29), used to adjust for the extra hours of the solar year; a 366-day year.
• leasow(Green) land as opposed to flood or desert; a pasture.
• least fingerSynonym of little finger.
• leavelessWithout leaves; leafless
• ledgingThe act or process of creating or developing a ledge (in mining, building, etc), or the ledge so created.
• ledgmentA stringcourse or horizontal suit of mouldings, such as the base mouldings of a building.
• leeboardA board, or frame of planks, lowered over the side of a sailboat to lessen its leeway.
• leechbookA medical text of the Anglo-Saxon era; a compilation of medicinal cures and remedies used by leeches.
• leechcraftThe art or practice of healing or medicine.
• leechdomA medicine; remedy.
• leech-fingerThe finger next to the little finger; ring-finger.
• leeftailHigh in demand; quickly sold.
• leernessThe quality of being leer; lack; emptiness; dullness.
• left-handedUsing one's left hand in preference to, or more skillfully than, one's right.
• lefullpermissible, permitted; allowable, allowed
• leisurefulProviding leisure, restful.
• lemon dropA yellow lemon-flavored and lemon-shaped candy.
• leprositySynonym of leprosy in its various senses.
• -lessLacking (something); without (something). Added usually to a noun to form an adjective signifying a lack of that noun.
• -letA diminutive suffix.