Being part 9 of an shambling parade of posts extracting my favorite words and their definitions from the Word Lover’'s Dictionary: Unusual, Obscure, and Preposterous Words by Josefa Heifetz (New York: Carol Publishing, 1974, 1994). For beginning entries in this series, please see Part 1 and Part 2. If you want to find all posts in the series, search on the title "Will Geek for Words" on this site. Eventually I add them to the sidebar listing. Part 9 encompasses the letter L words and their definitions. And, yes, I am using "geek" in that older definition. I love words in a very, very special way.

Amazingly, this is not a promotional stunt. I am not paid to plug this book yet here I am, mentioning it at the top of each of these posts and linking to the Amazon page for it. However if the publishers are interested in giving me a kickback, I wouldn't be adverse to accepting a nice certificate with a fancy border and calligraphy noting my devotion to language. An honorary degree would be great as well. (What I'll probably get is a "cease and desist" letter from their lawyers. As the saying goes: So sue me. I'm sure it's fair use to include excerpted selections in a non-commercial venture. And did I mention that I'm poor?)

• labile, adj.: 1. unstable, plastic; apt to change. 2. fast chemical or molecular change. 3. emotionally unstable.
• lagniappe, n.: a cheap present given to good customers (Louisiana).
• lagnosis, n.: satyriasis.
• lant, n.: stale urine used in manufacturing. v.t. to wet or mix with lant.
• lapidate, v.t.: to stone; to kill by stoning.
• lares and penates, n.pl.: 1. household gods. 2. one's most treasured possessions.
• larvate, adj.: hidden, obsure.
• latrant, adj.: snarling; complaining.
• leal, adj.: 1. faithful, loyal, and true. 2. correct, accurate, and real. 3. legal, lawful, and just.
• lecheur, n.: a devotee of oral intercourse; a licker.
• leptology, n.: a boringly detailed discourse on trivial subjects.
• lethologica, n.: inability to remember the right word.
• lexiphanic, adj.: using pretentions language.
• liberticidal, adj.: destroying or tending to destroy liberty.
• limen, n.: the borderline of awareness.
• litotes, n.: the use of understatement to avoid criticism or for dramatic effect.
• lockrums, n.pl.: unpopular ideas.
• loganamnosis, n.: a mania for trying to recall forgotten words.
• logastellus, n.: "a person whose enthusiasm for words outstrips his knowledge of them" (John McClellan in Word Ways, Vol. 3 No.3, 1970).
• logolept, n.: a word maniac.
• logorrhea, n.: incoherent or excessive babble.
• longanimity, n.: silently suffering while planning revenge.
• loxotic, adj.: slanting, distorted.
• lupanarian, adj.: lubricious, lascivious, and lewd. lupanar, n. a Roman cat house.
• lygophilia, n.: love of darkness.
• lygophobia, n.: fear of darkness.
• lypophrenia, n.: a vague feeling of sadness, seemingly without cause.