Word origins

• -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.
• learning-knightOne disciplined and devoted to learning; a student or disciple.
• 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
• legharnessLeg armor.
• 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.
• Lesser BritainBrittany
• -letA diminutive suffix.
• let slideTo let go; to allow; to release; to pass over without action.
• letterlyBefitting or characterised by letters (posted messages).
• letters patentA type of legal document in the form of an open letter issued by an authority to direct that some action be taken; to grant a monopoly, right, status, or title to a person or organization; to record a contract.
• levefulAllowable; permissible; lawful.
• leveretA young hare less than one year old.
• lewthShelter.
• lichamThe human body, especially when living.
• lickerouslickerish; lecherous; eager; lustful.
• lickerousnessFondness for good fare; keen appetite or gluttonous desire.
• lickpotThe forefinger.
• liddenA noise or din.
• lidderonOne who is lazy, idle, or bad; rascal; scoundrel; a weakling.
• LiddesdaleThe valley of Liddel Water, a river in Scottish Borders council area, Scotland, historically in Roxburghshire.
• lieflywillingly; gladly
• liefsomeAgreeable; pleasing; delightful.
• liegemanA male vassal (subject of a sovereign or lord).
• lifedayA day of someone's life; chiefly in plural: a lifetime.
• lifelyOf, pertaining to, or endued with life; living; vital; essential.
• lifeyCharacteristic of life (all senses)
• ligeanceAn allegiance.
• light blueA pale blue colour: sky blue or similar.
• light-footedFast on one's feet, not plodding; nimble, agile.
• lightfulFull of light; bright.
• light-handedGentle; benign and with minimal intervention.
• lightlessLacking light; unilluminated; dark.
• lightlinessThe quality or condition of one who acts lightly; ease; facility.
• light orangeA light orange colour.
• lightsomeCharacterised by light; luminous; emitting or manifesting light; radiant.
• lightsomenessThe state or quality of being lightsome (luminous); luminosity; illumination, brightness.
• light-wittedHaving a feeble or weak intellect.
• -likeResembling, having some of the characteristics of (used to form adjectives from nouns).
• like a manBravely, decisively, and without complaining.
• likefulLikeable; pleasing; pleasant; agreeable.
• limbmealInto pieces; limb from limb.
• limerodA twig or stick smeared with birdlime
• limetwigA twig smeared with birdlime, used to catch or snare birds
• limeyardSynonym of limerod.
• -lingsmall, immature, miniature
• -lingsforming adverbs, generally of condition or situation
• lintwhiteA linnet.
• lirkTo jerk.
• lirtTo deceive; beguile.
• lissomFlexible and graceful in movement; lithe.
• lithargelead monoxide (PbO) a toxic solid formed from oxidation of lead in air, and used as a pigment.
• lithenTo make lithe, soften; to ease, mitigate
• lithenessThe property of being lithe.
• lithesomeCharacterised or marked by litheness; pliant, limber, nimble, lissom.
• lithyEasy to bend; pliable.
• litsterA dyer.
• little fingerThe outermost and smallest finger of the hand, next to the ring finger, farthest from the thumb.
• Little MissendenA village and civil parish in Buckinghamshire, England, previously in Chiltern district (OS grid ref SU9298).
• little toeThe smallest toe of the human foot.
• littlingA little one; a child.
• lividityThe state or quality of being livid.
• livishSomewhat live or alive; lively.
• loadenTo charge or burden with a load; to burden or freight
• loaf sugarRefined sugar formed into a conical loaf (a sugar-loaf) in a mould. It was a common type of sugar until the 19th century.
• loathfulFull of loathing; hateful
• loathlyLoathsome; hideous.
• loathnessunwillingness; reluctance
• loathsomenessThe nature or property that gives rise to revulsion or inspires loathing.
• -lockAction or proceeding, practice, ritual
• LockittA surname transferred from the given name.
• lodemanagePilotage.
• lodesmanA pilot; navigator.
• LombardishOf or pertaining to the Lombards, a Germanic people who settled in Italy in the sixth century C.E., their language, customs, or culture.
• LondonishHaving to do with, like, or of London, a city in England.
• long fingerThe middle finger.
• long homeThe grave.