lambent (en)

(adjective) playing lightly on or over a surface; flickering / (adjective) softly bright or radiant / (adjective) marked by lightness or brilliance especially of expression

land banking (en)

the practice of aggregating parcels of land for future sale or development

land grab (en)

the buying or leasing of large pieces of land by domestic and transnational companies, governments, and individuals, esp following the 2007-2008 world food crisis

lanugo (en)

(noun) a dense cottony or downy growth of hair / (noun) the soft woolly hair that covers the fetus of some mammals

lapidary (en)

relating to stone and gems and the work involved in engraving, cutting, or polishing

lapsarianism (en)

the idea that humanity has fallen from a better state

lapsology (en)

the study of linguistic slips

lapsus calami (la)

a slip of the pen

lariat (en)

(noun) a rope used as a lasso or for tethering

lassitude (en)

(noun) a condition of weariness or debility; fatigue / (noun) a condition of listlessness; languor

late capitalism (en)

a term used by neo-Marxists to refer to capitalism from about 1945 onwards, with the implication that it is a historically limited stage rather than a permanent

lathe (en)

(noun) a machine in which work is rotated about a horizontal axis and shaped by a fixed tool / (verb) to cut or shape with a lathe

latifundian (en)

relating to a large landed estate or ranch in ancient Rome or more recently in Spain or Latin America, typically worked by slaves

lazaretto (en)

(noun) an institution (as a hospital) for those with contagious diseases / (noun) a building or a ship used for detention in quarantine / (noun) a space in a ship between decks used as a storeroom

Lebensraum (de)

the territory that a state or nation believes is needed for its natural development, especially associated with Nazi Germany

lee (en)

the sheltered side; the side away from the wind

legerdemain (en)

(noun) sleight of hand / (noun) a display of skill or adroitness

legitimation crisis (en)

a decline in the confidence of administrative functions, institutions, or leadership; first introduced in 1973 by Jürgen Habermas, a German sociologist and philosopher

leitmotif (en)

a recurrent theme throughout a musical or literary composition, associated with a particular person, idea, or situation

lenitive (en)

(adjective) alleviating pain or harshness; soothing

lepidoptery (en)

the branch of zoology dealing with butterflies and moths

levigate (en)

(verb) polish smooth / (verb) to grind to a fine smooth powder while in moist condition / (verb) to separate (fine powder) from coarser material by suspending in a liquid

leximancical (en)

neologism? lexical + necromancical?

lianas (en)

(noun) any of various usually woody vines especially of tropical rain forests that root in the ground

lib-lab (en)

(British politics) a Lib–Lab pact; a working arrangement between the Liberal Democrats (formerly the Liberal Party) and the Labour Party