L

L, l, indecl. n. or (on account of littera) f., the eleventh letter of the Latin alphabet (I and J being counted as one), in form modified from a Λ, like the Greek, but with the angle downward. In sound it was identical with Gr. lambda, Engl.

• l. L has, according to Pliny, a threefold power: the slight sound of the second l, when doubled, as in ille, Metellus; a full sound, when it ends words or syllables, or follows a consonant in the same syllable, as in sol, silva, flavus, clarus; and a middle sound in other cases, as in lectus, Prisc. 1, 7, 38 (p. 555 P.). In transcriptions of Greek words in Latin and of Latin words in Greek letters, it always corresponds to Λ.
• II In etymology it represents,
• • • 1 Usually an original l; cf. alius, ἄλλος; lego, λέγω; leo, λέων; lavo, λούω, etc.—
    • 2 Sometimes an r, as in lilium, λείριον; balbus, βάρβαρος; latrare, Sanscr. ra-, to bark; lateo, Sanscr. rah-, to abandon; luceo, Sanscr. ruc-, etc.; cf. also the endings in australis, corporalis, liberalis, and in stellaris, capillaris, maxillaris.—
    • 3 Sometimes a d; cf. lacrima, δάκρυον; levir, Sanscr. dēvar, Gr. δαήρ; oleo, odor, Gr. ὄζω, ὄδωδα; uligo, udus; adeps, Sanscr lip-, to smear, Gr. ἄλειφαρ.
• III Before l an initial guttural or t is often dropped, as latus for tlatus, lis for stlis, lamentum from clamo; lac, cf. Gr. γαλακτ-; and a preceding c, d, n, r, s, or x is omitted or assimilated, as sella for sedula (sed-la), corolla for coronula (coronla), prelum for prem-lum (from premo), āla = ax-la (axilla); so, libellus for liberulus (liber), alligo for ad-ligo, ullus for unulus. In the nominative of nouns the ending s is not added after l, as in consul, vigil; and l final occurs in Latin only in such words.
• IV L stands alone,
• • A As a numeral for 50.—
  • B As an abbreviation, usually for Lucius; rarely for libens, locus, or libertus.

1. L, l, elfter Buchstabe des latein. Alphabets. – Als Abkürzung = Lucius.

2. L, als Zahlzeichen = 50.

L [CL] 1 L (letter of alphabet). ‘camelus’ per unum L scribendum Bede Orth. 18; liquentes litterae quattuor LMNR Id. AM 85; in quibus licentia poetica, subtracta e nomine sancti priori L littera, ut versus staret, ingeniaverat. in neutro enim insculptum erat ‘Aldhelmo’, sed ‘Adelmo’ W. Malm. GP V 255; de sal salis salio sale derivatur, / nec in istis video quod L geminatur; / in primevo stipite L non duplicatur / nec in sale salio L bis reportatur Qui majora cernitis 54–6; prime aut medie sillabe habentes L post A vel E vel O sillabatam dum tamen alia consonans post L sequitur immediate ipsa L debet quasi U pronunciari verbi gratia altrement, malveis, tresmaltalent Orthog. Gall. S 11. 2 numeral (= 50). nam Latino more computando D notat quingentos, I unum, C centum, L quinquaginta Bacon Gram. Gk. 82. 3 musical note. Odington 83 (v. F 2).

L

(Λ), as a symbol.

In Greek.—Λ=Λούκιος or Λεύκιος. The Lacedaemonians bore Λ upon their shields, as the Sicyonians Σ and the Messenians Μ. (See clipeus, and cf. Eupolis, Frag. Incert. 37; Theopomp. [com.] Frag. Incert. 16.) As a numeral it stands for 11 (old system), or 30. λ=30,000.

In Latin.—L=latum, legio, lex, libertus, librarius, locus, Lucius.

L˙A˙D˙D=libens animo donum dat.

L˙B=libertus bonus.

L˙C=laticlavius, locus concessus.

L˙D=libens dat, libero damno, locum dedit (loco dato, locus datus)—very frequent.

L˙F=Latinae fuerunt, laudabilis femina, liberti fecerunt.

L˙L=legatus legionis, libens laetus, liberto libertae, librarius legati (legionis), Lucii (duo).

L˙M=libens merito, libertus mens, ludus magnus.

L˙P=Liber pater, libertus patrono, libens posuit.

L˙R˙P=legas rogo praeteriens.

L˙V=luna quinta.

L˙V˙S=libens votum solvit.

L˙D˙D˙C˙F˙C=locus datus decreto collegii fabrum centurionum.

L˙D˙D˙D˙D˙D=loco dato decreto decurionum dono dederunt.

L˙F˙D˙D=ludos fecerunt decurionum decreto.

L˙L˙P˙E=libertis libertabus posterisque eorum.

L˙P˙P˙P=loco publico pecunia publica.