Word origins

• lèse-majestéThe crime of violating majesty, an offense against the dignity of a reigning sovereign or against a state.
• les jeux sont faitsIn roulette, the call made by the croupier as the wheel is set in motion.
• Les Pays-d'en-HautA regional county municipality of Laurentides, Quebec, Canada.
• l'esprit de l'escalierThe phenomenon when a conversational rejoinder or remark only occurs to someone after the opportunity to make it has passed.
• LesquinA town in Nord department, Hauts-de-France, France.
• Les Sables-d'OlonneA city in Vendée department, France.
• L'EstaqueA village north-west of Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, France.
• Le Sud-OuestSynonym of Southwest (“a borough and region of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada”).
• Le TacheA mountain in Chablais Alps, Valais canton, Switzerland.
• l'état, c'est moiUsed to signify one's exercise of power in a dictatiorial, repressive and/or charismatic manner.
• Le TellierA surname from French.
• LetissierA surname from French.
• lettrismA French avant-garde art and literary movement established in the mid-1940s, owing inspiration to Dada and surrealism.
• levainA starter dough for sourdough bread.
• Le VauclinA town and commune in the French overseas department and region, and island, of Martinique.
• level-coilA boisterous and rowdy game formerly played on Christmas, in which players must quickly switch seats at a signal.
• Le VerrierA surname from French
• levierOne who levies.
• LeVoirA surname from French.
• LiabeufA surname from French.
• liberticideCausing the destruction of liberty; oppressive, liberticidal
• libertinageThe conduct or activities of a libertine; licentiousness.
• LICADHOCambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (one of the oldest human rights organization of Cambodia, founded in 1992)
• LiègeThe largest city and provincial capital of Liège, Wallonia, Belgium
• lierneA cross-shaped rib of an ogival vault.
• lierreA grayish olive colour.
• LieuchieuSynonym of Ryukyu.
• lieu-ditIn France, the smallest piece of land which has a traditional vineyard name assigned to it.
• lieu jauneEuropean pollock.
• ligne claireA style of drawing focusing on strong, clear shapes and bold coloring without hatching or shading; typically featuring cartoonish characters against realistic backgrounds.
• Ligue 1The highest division of professional football in France.
• LillebonneA commune of Seine-Maritime department, Normandy, France.
• limaceA slug (mollusk).
• limailleBits of waste metal mixed with bone, dust, etc.; lemel.
• LimatA surname from French.
• limbatA periodic cooling wind in Cyprus, blowing from the northwest.
• limitropheBorder, frontier; being or existing along a border or frontier.
• limonadeA still (non-carbonated), typically homemade or fresh-squeezed drink made of water, lemon juice, and sweetener.
• LimoursA city in Essonne department, France.
• lineicOf or pertaining to length; especially used to describe a measurement per unit length.
• lingetSynonym of ingot.
• lingotAn ingot.
• liseuseA medium-sized writing table with a small hinged panel in the middle that springs up by the aid of a mechanism or may be propped at an angle to facilitate reading or writing.
• lissoirA prehistoric tool, made of bone or wood, used to soften leather.
• LitalienA surname from French.
• lithofracteurAn explosive material composed mostly of nitroglycerine. It was made in Germany in the 19th century, used in the mining industry and has since become obsolete.
• litterateurA person engaged in various literary works: literary critic, essayist, writer.
• livre tournoisOne of numerous currencies used in France in the Middle Ages.
• LodèveA town and commune of Hérault department, Occitania, France.
• -logic-logical
• LoméThe capital city of Togo.
• longeronA thin strip of wood or metal, to which the skin of an aircraft is fastened.
• Long SaultA rapids in the Ottawa, Quebec, Canada.
• LongueilA placename of several locations in France
• LongueuilloisA citizen, denizen, or person from Longueuil
• longue-vueA ship's navigational monocular spyglass telescope
• loogarooA creature of Caribbean mythology similar to a vampire or werewolf.
• lorgnetteAn opera glass with a handle.
• lorgnonlorgnette, opera glass
• LoriolA surname from French.
• LormandA surname from French.
• Lorp-SentarailleA village in Ariège department, Occitania, France.
• LorsonA surname from French.
• louageSynonym of shared taxi.
• loucheOf questionable taste or morality; decadent.
• LouchetA surname from French.
• LoucheuxSynonym of Gwich'in.
• louis d'orAny of the gold coins first introduced in France under Louis XIII in 1640, based upon the Spanish doubloon.
• LouisianeseOf or pertaining to Louisiana or its people; Louisianian.
• LouisjeanA surname from French.
• loup-cervierThe Canada lynx.
• loup-garouA werewolf.
• Louvain-la-NeuveCity in Belgium, situated in the province of Walloon Brabant.
• LozèreA department of Occitania, France. Capital: Mende (INSEE code 48).
• LozonA surname from French.
• lucarneA dormer-window.
• lunelA type of sweet muscat wine.
• lunuleAnything crescent-shaped; a crescent-shaped part or mark; a lunula or lune.
• lycéeA public secondary school in France.
• lycopodelycopodium powder (an inflammable yellow powder found in species of lycopodium, or club moss).
• m.A gender-neutral honorific, comparable to Mx., used instead of Mr., Mrs., etc.
• MabillardA surname from French.
• macacoA macaque, or similar monkey.
• macaronAny of various confections made with almond and egg white, traditionally made in France.
• macaronageThe step in making macarons where the wet and dry ingredients are carefully folded together.
• MacaryA surname from Occitan.
• macedoineA mixture of diced vegetables or fruit served as a salad.
• macédoineA type of dish containing a mixture of many types of fruits, or many types of vegetables.
• mâcheValerianella locusta, a small dicot annual plant of the family Caprifoliaceae often cultivated as a salad green or herb.
• MacheretA surname from French.
• macleChiastolite; so called from the tessellated appearance of a cross-section.
• MâconA city and commune, the prefecture of Saône-et-Loire department, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France.
• MacquaireA surname from French.
• macraméA form of decorative textile made by knotting and weaving.
• madragueA large fish pound used for the capture of tuna in the Mediterranean, now a forbidden practice in places.
• madrierA plank to receive the mouth of a petard, with which it is applied to anything intended to be broken down.
• madrigalesqueReminiscent of a madrigal.
• madrileneA type of consommé flavored with tomatoes and served either as a warm broth or chilled and jellied.
• MagdalenianRelating to the late Paleolithic culture typical of La Madeleine, c. 17000 to 12000 BCE.
• magotThe Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus) native to the Atlas Mountains of Algeria and Morocco along with a small population of uncertain origin in Gibraltar.