lack

A2 Topic:Abstract Ideas

Also spelled lackin

US /ˈlæk/ UK /læk/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like lock /æ/ vs /ɑ/ Sounds like lek /ɛ/ vs /æ/

Freq #2617

Meanings

1

noun
The state of not having something, or not having enough of it.

There is a serious lack of insight into the problem.
2

verb
To not have something, or to not have enough of it.

This soup lacks salt.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the state of not having... deficiency paucity

2 verb · to not have something, or... miss

More dearth deficit dejection inadequacy infrequency insufficiency meagernessnonsufficiencypenury rareness

Opposites

adequacy excess

Word family

Forms lackedlackinglacks

Derived forms alacklack-alllack-gracelack-latinlack-laughterlack-learninglack-lifelack-linenlack-lookslack-lovelack-mindlack-pity

Related forms abundant lackluster

Appears in

Phrases (3)

See all

Etymology

From Middle English lack, lakke, lak, from Old English *læc (“deficiency, lack, want”), from Proto-West Germanic *lak, from Proto-Germanic *laką, *lakaz (“slackness”), from Proto-Germanic *lakaz (“limp, slack, loose, low”), related to *lak(k)ōną (“to blame, reproach”), from Proto-Indo-European *lok-néh₂-. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Lak (“lack”), Middle Low German lack, lak (“lack”), Dutch lak (“lack, deficiency, calumny”), Icelandic lakur (“lacking”). Related also to Middle Dutch laken (“to blame, lack”). Eclipsed non-native Middle English carence (“absence, lack”), from Old French carence…

lack Middle English *læc Old English *lak Proto-West Germanic *laką Proto-Germanic *lakaz Proto-Germanic *lok-néh₂- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# lack

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈlæk/
**IPA (UK):** /læk/
**Frequency rank:** 2617

## Meanings
1. The state of not having something, or not having enough of it.
2. To not have something, or to not have enough of it.

## Examples
- There is a serious lack of insight into the problem.
- This soup lacks salt.

## Synonyms
- dearth
- deficiency
- deficit
- dejection
- inadequacy
- infrequency
- insufficiency
- meagerness
- nonsufficiency
- paucity
- penury
- rareness

## Antonyms
- adequacy
- excess

## Derived Forms
- alack
- lack-all
- lack-grace
- lack-latin
- lack-laughter
- lack-learning
- lack-life
- lack-linen
- lack-looks
- lack-love
- lack-mind
- lack-pity

## Related Forms
- abundant
- lackluster

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: lack
- Root: *læc
- Root: *lak
- Root: *laką
- Root: *lakaz
- Root: *lok-néh₂-

## Etymology
From Middle English lack, lakke, lak, from Old English *læc (“deficiency, lack, want”), from Proto-West Germanic *lak, from Proto-Germanic *laką, *lakaz (“slackness”), from Proto-Germanic *lakaz (“limp, slack, loose, low”), related to *lak(k)ōną (“to blame, reproach”), from Proto-Indo-European *lok-néh₂-. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Lak (“lack”), Middle Low German lack, lak (“lack”), Dutch lak (“lack, deficiency, calumny”), Icelandic lakur (“lacking”). Related also to Middle Dutch laken (“to blame, lack”). Eclipsed non-native Middle English carence (“absence, lack”), from Old French carence…

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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