This page lists 76 Greek words that start with L, running from “Lagos” to “Lykavittos”. The list covers everyday nouns, verbs and adjectives, along with foods, places and names you’ll meet in Greece. You can use it to build your vocabulary, prepare for a trip, or understand words you see on menus and signs.
Greek words are the vocabulary of one of the world’s oldest written languages, spoken for more than 3,000 years. Many of them still live in English, such as “lexicon” from “lexiko” and “logic” from “logos”.
Below you’ll find the table with the word, English translation, part of speech, example usage and description for every entry.
Word: The Greek word written in Latin letters, so you can read it and say it aloud even if you don’t know the Greek alphabet.
English translation: The closest English meaning of the word, so you can quickly see what it refers to and decide if it fits what you need.
Part of speech: Shows whether the word is a noun, verb, adjective, adverb or conjunction, which helps you use it correctly in a sentence.
Example usage: A short sentence in Greek script with its pronunciation and English translation, showing you how the word is used in real speech.
Description: A brief note on the meaning, origin or cultural context of the word, helping you remember it and know where you might hear it.
Greek words
| Word | English translation | Part of speech | Example usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lagos | hare | noun | Ένας λαγός έτρεξε στο χωράφι. (Enas lagos etrexe sto chorafi.) – A hare ran across the field. |
| Laikos | popular, folk | adjective | Μου αρέσει η λαϊκή μουσική. (Mou aresei i laiki mousiki.) – I like folk music. |
| Laiki | street market | noun | Πηγαίνω στη λαϊκή κάθε Σάββατο. (Pigaino sti laiki kathe Savvato.) – I go to the street market every Saturday. |
| Laos | people, nation | noun | Ο λαός ζητά αλλαγή. (O laos zita allagi.) – The people demand change. |
| Lathos | mistake, wrong | noun | Έκανα ένα λάθος. (Ekana ena lathos.) – I made a mistake. |
| Lathraios | illegal, secret | adjective | Ήταν λαθραίο εμπόρευμα. (Itan lathraio emporevma.) – It was smuggled goods. |
| Lalo | I speak | verb | Τα πουλιά λαλούν το πρωί. (Ta poulia laloun to proi.) – The birds sing in the morning. |
| Lalia | chatter, talk | noun | Δεν σταματάει η λαλιά του. (Den stamataei i lalia tou.) – His chatter never stops. |
| Lampa | lamp, light bulb | noun | Άναψε τη λάμπα, παρακαλώ. (Anapse ti lampa, parakalo.) – Turn on the lamp, please. |
| Lampadari | chandelier | noun | Το λαμπαδάρι στο σαλόνι είναι πολύ παλιό. (To lampadari sto saloni einai poli palio.) – The chandelier in the living room is very old. |
| Lampros | bright, brilliant | adjective | Έχει λαμπρό μέλλον. (Echei lampro mellon.) – He has a bright future. |
| Lampsi | shine, glow | noun | Η λάμψη του ήλιου τυφλώνει. (I lampsi tou iliou tyflonei.) – The glare of the sun is blinding. |
| Lamda | lambda (letter) | noun | Το λάμδα είναι το 11ο γράμμα του ελληνικού αλφαβήτου. (To lamda einai to 11o gramma tou ellinikou alfavitou.) – Lambda is the 11th letter of the Greek alphabet. |
| Lambano | I receive, I take | verb | Λαμβάνω πολλά μηνύματα. (Lamvano polla minymata.) – I receive many messages. |
| Latreia | worship | noun | Η λατρεία των θεών ήταν σημαντική. (I latreia ton theon itan simantiki.) – The worship of the gods was important. |
| Latreuo | I adore, I worship | verb | Λατρεύω τον καφέ το πρωί. (Latrevo ton kafe to proi.) – I adore coffee in the morning. |
| Lachano | cabbage | noun | Η σαλάτα έχει λάχανο και καρότο. (I salata echei lachano kai karoto.) – The salad has cabbage and carrot. |
| Lachanika | vegetables | noun | Αγοράζω φρέσκα λαχανικά. (Agorazo freska lachanika.) – I buy fresh vegetables. |
| Lachanodolmades | stuffed cabbage rolls | noun | Η γιαγιά φτιάχνει λαχανοντολμάδες τον χειμώνα. (I giagia ftiachnei lachanodolmades ton cheimona.) – Grandma makes stuffed cabbage rolls in winter. |
| Lakkos | pit, hole, ditch | noun | Έπεσε σε έναν λάκκο. (Epese se enan lakko.) – He fell into a pit. |
| Lefta | money | noun | Δεν έχω λεφτά. (Den echo lefta.) – I have no money. |
| Lepto | minute, thin | noun | Περίμενε ένα λεπτό. (Perimene ena lepto.) – Wait a minute. |
| Leptos | thin, slender | adjective | Έχει λεπτό πρόσωπο. (Echei lepto prosopo.) – He has a thin face. |
| Leptomeria | detail | noun | Μου είπε όλες τις λεπτομέρειες. (Mou eipe oles tis leptomereies.) – He told me all the details. |
| Lexi | word | noun | Δεν ξέρω αυτή τη λέξη. (Den xero afti ti lexi.) – I don’t know this word. |
| Lexiko | dictionary | noun | Άνοιξε το λεξικό να δεις. (Anoixe to lexiko na deis.) – Open the dictionary and see. |
| Lexilogio | vocabulary | noun | Έμαθα νέο λεξιλόγιο σήμερα. (Ematha neo lexilogio simera.) – I learned new vocabulary today. |
| Lemoni | lemon | noun | Στίψε ένα λεμόνι πάνω στο ψάρι. (Stipse ena lemoni pano sto psari.) – Squeeze a lemon over the fish. |
| Lemonada | lemonade | noun | Θέλω μια κρύα λεμονάδα. (Thelo mia krya lemonada.) – I want a cold lemonade. |
| Lemonia | lemon tree | noun | Η λεμονιά στην αυλή έχει καρπούς. (I lemonia stin avli echei karpous.) – The lemon tree in the yard has fruit. |
| Leoforeio | bus | noun | Το λεωφορείο έρχεται σε πέντε λεπτά. (To leoforeio erchetai se pente lepta.) – The bus arrives in five minutes. |
| Leoforos | avenue, boulevard | noun | Η λεωφόρος Αμαλίας είναι κοντά. (I leoforos Amalias einai konta.) – Amalias Avenue is nearby. |
| Leon | lion | noun | Ο λέων είναι ο βασιλιάς της ζούγκλας. (O leon einai o vasilias tis zounglas.) – The lion is the king of the jungle. |
| Leontari | lion | noun | Το λιοντάρι βρυχάται δυνατά. (To liontari vrychatai dynata.) – The lion roars loudly. |
| Leopardali | leopard | noun | Η λεοπάρδαλη κρύβεται στα δέντρα. (I leopardali krivetai sta dentra.) – The leopard hides in the trees. |
| Lepida | blade, sheet | noun | Η λεπίδα είναι πολύ κοφτερή. (I lepida einai poli koftery.) – The blade is very sharp. |
| Lefkos | white | adjective | Φοράει λευκό πουκάμισο. (Forai lefko poukamiso.) – He is wearing a white shirt. |
| Lefkada | Lefkada (island) | noun | Θα πάμε διακοπές στη Λευκάδα. (Tha pame diakopes sti Lefkada.) – We will go on vacation to Lefkada. |
| Lefkosia | Nicosia | noun | Η Λευκωσία είναι η πρωτεύουσα της Κύπρου. (I Lefkosia einai i protevousa tis Kyprou.) – Nicosia is the capital of Cyprus. |
| Lefteris | free (name) | noun | Ο Λευτέρης είναι φίλος μου. (O Lefteris einai filos mou.) – Lefteris is my friend. |
| Lesvos | Lesbos | noun | Η Λέσβος είναι γνωστή για το ούζο. (I Lesvos einai gnosti gia to ouzo.) – Lesbos is known for ouzo. |
| Leitourgia | service, liturgy | noun | Η λειτουργία ξεκινά στις οκτώ. (I leitourgia xekina stis okto.) – The service starts at eight. |
| Leitourgos | official, minister | noun | Είναι δημόσιος λειτουργός. (Einai dimosios leitourgos.) – He is a public servant. |
| Leivadi | meadow | noun | Τα πρόβατα βόσκουν στο λιβάδι. (Ta provata voskoun sto livadi.) – The sheep graze in the meadow. |
| Livanos | incense | noun | Μυρίζει λιβάνι στην εκκλησία. (Myrizei livani stin ekklisia.) – There is a smell of incense in the church. |
| Limani | port, harbor | noun | Το πλοίο μπαίνει στο λιμάνι. (To ploio mpainei sto limani.) – The ship enters the port. |
| Limni | lake | noun | Η λίμνη είναι πολύ ήρεμη. (I limni einai poli iremi.) – The lake is very calm. |
| Lipos | fat, grease | noun | Το φαγητό έχει πολύ λίπος. (To fagito echei poly lipos.) – The food has a lot of fat. |
| Lista | list | noun | Φτιάξε μια λίστα με τα ψώνια. (Ftiaxe mia lista me ta psonia.) – Make a list of the shopping. |
| Litro | liter | noun | Θέλω ένα λίτρο γάλα. (Thelo ena litro gala.) – I want one liter of milk. |
| Lithos | stone | noun | Πέταξε μια πέτρα, όχι λίθο. (Petakse mia petra, ochi litho.) – He threw a stone. |
| Lithari | rock, boulder | noun | Κάθισε πάνω σε ένα λιθάρι. (Kathise pano se ena lithari.) – He sat on a large rock. |
| Logos | word, speech, reason | noun | Ο λόγος του ήταν πειστικός. (O logos tou itan peistikos.) – His speech was convincing. |
| Logiki | logic | noun | Η λογική λέει να περιμένουμε. (I logiki leei na perimenoume.) – Logic says we should wait. |
| Logikos | logical, rational | adjective | Είναι λογικός άνθρωπος. (Einai logikos anthropos.) – He is a reasonable person. |
| Logariasmos | bill, account | noun | Ο λογαριασμός, παρακαλώ. (O logariasmos, parakalo.) – The check, please. |
| Logotechnia | literature | noun | Μου αρέσει η ελληνική λογοτεχνία. (Mou aresei i elliniki logotechnia.) – I like Greek literature. |
| Logistis | accountant | noun | Ο λογιστής μου κάνει τη φορολογική δήλωση. (O logistis mou kanei ti forologiki dilosi.) – My accountant does the tax return. |
| Loukoumi | Turkish delight | noun | Πήρα λουκούμι από τη Σύρο. (Pira loukoumi apo ti Syro.) – I bought loukoumi from Syros. |
| Loukoumades | honey fritters | noun | Θέλω λουκουμάδες με μέλι. (Thelo loukoumades me meli.) – I want honey fritters. |
| Loukaniko | sausage | noun | Ψήσε λουκάνικο στα κάρβουνα. (Psise loukaniko sta karvouna.) – Grill sausage over the coals. |
| Louloudi | flower | noun | Αγόρασα ένα λουλούδι για τη μαμά. (Agorasa ena louloudi gia ti mama.) – I bought a flower for mom. |
| Loutro | bath | noun | Έκανα ένα ζεστό λουτρό. (Ekana ena zesto loutro.) – I had a hot bath. |
| Louvi | black-eyed pea | noun | Έφαγα φασόλια και λούβι. (Efaga fasolia kai louvi.) – I ate beans and black-eyed peas. |
| Lykos | wolf | noun | Ο λύκος ουρλιάζει τη νύχτα. (O lykos ourliazei ti nychta.) – The wolf howls at night. |
| Lykeio | high school | noun | Τελείωσε το λύκειο πέρυσι. (Teleiose to lykeio perysi.) – He finished high school last year. |
| Lyra | lyre | noun | Έπαιζε λύρα στο πανηγύρι. (Epaize lyra sto panigyri.) – He played the lyre at the festival. |
| Lyssa | rabies | noun | Ο σκύλος έπαθε λύσσα. (O skylos epathe lyssa.) – The dog contracted rabies. |
| Lysi | solution | noun | Βρήκαμε μια λύση στο πρόβλημα. (Vrikame mia lysi sto provlima.) – We found a solution to the problem. |
| Lypi | sorrow, grief | noun | Ένιωσε μεγάλη λύπη. (Eniose megali lypi.) – He felt great sorrow. |
| Lypamai | I am sorry | verb | Λυπάμαι πολύ για αυτό. (Lypamai poly gia afto.) – I am very sorry about that. |
| Lygo | a little | adverb | Θέλω λίγο νερό. (Thelo ligo nero.) – I want a little water. |
| Lipon | so, well then | conjunction | Λοιπόν, πάμε; (Lipon, pame?) – So, shall we go? |
| Lochos | squad, company | noun | Ο λόχος βγήκε σε περιπολία. (O lochos vgike se peripolia.) – The company went on patrol. |
| Lofos | hill | noun | Ανεβήκαμε στον λόφο. (Anevikame ston lofo.) – We climbed the hill. |
| Lykavittos | Lycabettus | noun | Ανεβήκαμε στον Λυκαβηττό για το ηλιοβασίλεμα. (Anevikame ston Lykavitto gia to iliovasilema.) – We climbed Lycabettus for the sunset. |
Descriptions
Lagos
The standard Greek word for a hare. It also turns up in cooking, where lagos stifado, a slow-braised hare stew with onions, is a classic rustic dish.
Laikos
Describes anything belonging to ordinary people. It appears in laiki agora (street market) and laiki mousiki (popular Greek music), and comes from laos, meaning people.
Laiki
Short for laiki agora, the open-air weekly market where farmers and vendors sell fruit, vegetables, fish and household goods. Most Greek neighborhoods have one on a fixed day.
Laos
An ancient word still in daily use for a people or a nation. It gives English words such as laity and lay, and appears in many Greek compounds such as laografia (folklore).
Lathos
The everyday word for an error. Used on its own, it also means wrong, as in “Lathos!” when someone gives an incorrect answer.
Lathraios
Means done in secret or against the law. It is commonly used for smuggled or contraband goods, and for stowaways and illegal immigrants in news reports.
Lalo
An old, poetic verb meaning to speak or utter. In modern Greek it is mostly used for birds singing or for a voice that carries, while “milao” is the normal word for speaking.
Lalia
Refers to speech, a way of speaking, or a lively voice. It can describe the chatter of a person or the song of a bird.
Lampa
The common word for a lamp or an electric bulb. It comes from the ancient Greek lampas, a torch, and is the root of English words like lamp.
Lampadari
A hanging ceiling light, often with several arms or bulbs. In Greek homes and churches, a lampadari can range from a simple fixture to an ornate decorative piece.
Lampros
Used for light, colors and achievements. A person with a lampro career is highly successful, and Lambros is also a common Greek first name.
Lampsi
Means brilliance or glow. It can describe actual light or a figurative sparkle, such as the glamour of an occasion or the sparkle in someone’s eyes.
Lamda
The eleventh letter of the Greek alphabet, written Λ or λ. It is used worldwide in science and math for wavelength, eigenvalues and the lambda calculus.
Lambano
A formal verb meaning to receive or take. You’ll see it on official documents and forms, and it gives English words like syllable and lemma through its ancient forms.
Latreia
Religious devotion, or deep adoration. In ancient Greece it referred to the cult practice of the gods, and today it is also used for intense love, as in latreuo (I adore).
Latreuo
Originally a religious term, now more often used playfully to say you love something very much. It’s a common word for strong fondness for food, music or people.
Lachano
The Greek word for cabbage, a staple winter vegetable. Lachanosalata, a finely shredded cabbage salad with lemon and olive oil, is a common side dish in Greek tavernas.
Lachanika
The general plural word for vegetables. It comes from lachano and is used for all kinds of greens and garden produce, whether raw, boiled or in dishes like briam.
Lachanodolmades
A traditional dish of cabbage leaves wrapped around rice and minced meat, usually simmered and served with avgolemono, a creamy egg-and-lemon sauce.
Lakkos
Refers to a hole or hollow in the ground. The proverb “who digs a pit for others falls in himself” uses this word, and it is also a common place name.
Lefta
The most common colloquial word for money in Greece. It is the plural of lepto, a minor coin, and is used in everyday phrases like “ta lefta” (the money).
Lepto
Means a minute of time and also something thin or delicate. It was also a small coin, and is the root of the English prefix lepto-, as in leptospirosis.
Leptos
Describes things that are thin, fine or delicate, from fabric and paper to a slim figure. It can also describe subtle points or refined taste.
Leptomeria
Literally “a thin part”, it means a fine detail. The plural leptomereies is most often used when asking for or giving the details of a plan or event.
Lexi
The Greek word for a word, from which English gets lexicon and lexical. It appears in compounds such as lexilogio (vocabulary) and stavrolexo (crossword).
Lexiko
A reference book listing words with their meanings. The English word lexicon is borrowed directly from the Greek lexikon.
Lexilogio
The set of words a person knows or uses in a language or field. Learners often keep a lexilogio notebook to track new words.
Lemoni
The Greek lemon is a kitchen staple, used in avgolemono soup, over grilled meat, and in salad dressings. Lemonia is the word for a lemon tree.
Lemonada
A fizzy or still lemon drink popular in Greek summers. Greek cafes often serve a fresh version made from squeezed lemons, sugar and water.
Lemonia
The tree that produces lemons. Lemon trees are common in Greek gardens and courtyards, and their blossoms scent the air in spring.
Leoforeio
The standard word for a public bus. It combines leos (of the people) and phero (to carry), so it literally means the carrier of the people.
Leoforos
A wide main road or avenue. Many major Athens streets, such as Syngrou and Vouliagmenis, carry this title, and it’s usually abbreviated Leof. on maps.
Leon
The formal word for lion, while leontari is the everyday form. It is also a common name, and gives English words like Leonidas and chameleon, meaning ground lion.
Leontari
The everyday word for a lion. It is a diminutive of leon and is used in children’s stories and zoos, and Leontari is a nickname for brave people.
Leopardali
The Greek name for the leopard, built from leon (lion) and pardos (panther). The ancients thought it was a cross between the two, hence the combined name.
Lepida
Refers to the thin cutting edge of a knife or razor. It also appears in compounds like lepidoptera, the scientific order of butterflies, meaning scale wings.
Lefkos
A more formal, literary word for white. The everyday word is aspro. Lefkos appears in place names such as Lefkada and Lefkosia (Nicosia), and in lefkoma (album).
Lefkada
An Ionian island in western Greece, known for its white cliffs and beaches such as Porto Katsiki. It’s connected to the mainland by a short bridge.
Lefkosia
The Greek name of the capital of Cyprus. It is the last divided capital in Europe, split between the Greek Cypriot south and the Turkish Cypriot north.
Lefteris
A popular Greek first name, short for Eleftherios, meaning free. It’s a common nickname in Greece and has the same root as eleftheria, freedom.
Lesvos
A large island in the northeastern Aegean, birthplace of the poet Sappho. It is famous for its ouzo, olive oil and petrified forest.
Leitourgia
Means public service, a function, or a church liturgy. It comes from laos (people) and ergon (work), so it originally meant a public duty undertaken for the people.
Leitourgos
A person who performs a public function. The word is used for civil servants and also for priests who serve at a liturgy.
Leivadi
A grassy field, often used for grazing animals or picnics. Livadi appears in many Greek village names and in poetry about the countryside.
Livanos
Aromatic resin burned in Orthodox churches during services. The word comes from an ancient Semitic root and is the origin of the English word Lebanon.
Limani
A place where ships dock. Piraeus, the main port of Athens, is one of the busiest in the Mediterranean, and the word gives English names like Limni.
Limni
The Greek word for a lake. Famous ones include Lake Plastiras and Lake Kerkini, and the word also appears in place names such as Limni Evias.
Lipos
Means animal or body fat. It appears in medical terms such as liposuction, and in cooking when discussing greasy meats or olive oil.
Lista
A borrowed word from Italian that Greeks use daily for any list, such as a shopping list or a guest list. The older Greek equivalent is katalogos.
Litro
A metric unit of volume equal to 1,000 milliliters. The word comes from the ancient Greek litra, which was an old unit of weight.
Lithos
A formal or ancient word for stone, found in scientific terms like monolith, lithography and Neolithic. The everyday Greek word is petra.
Lithari
A folksy word for a big stone or rock. It is a diminutive form of lithos and is widely used in the countryside and in village speech.
Logos
One of the most meaningful words in Greek, meaning word, speech, reason, or account. It gave English the suffix -logy and the word logic, and appears in the Gospel of John.
Logiki
The study of correct reasoning, or simply common sense. It is the feminine form of logikos (logical) and the root of the English word logic.
Logikos
Describes something that follows reason or makes sense. In everyday speech, “logiko” is used to agree that something is reasonable, like saying “makes sense”.
Logariasmos
Used for a restaurant bill, a bank account, or a utility bill. It’s one of the most useful phrases for travelers: “to logariasmo, parakalo” asks for the check.
Logotechnia
The art of written works such as novels and poetry. It combines logos (word) and techni (art), literally meaning the art of words.
Logistis
A professional who manages financial records and taxes. In Greece, almost every small business and household uses a logistis for annual paperwork.
Loukoumi
A soft, jelly-like sweet dusted with powdered sugar, often flavored with rose or mastic. The island of Syros is especially famous for its version.
Loukoumades
Small deep-fried dough balls soaked in honey syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon and walnuts. They are a popular street dessert and a traditional festival treat.
Loukaniko
Greek pork sausages often flavored with orange peel, leeks or fennel. Regional versions include loukaniko Horiatiko and loukaniko Trikalon.
Louloudi
The common word for a flower. The plural louloudia is used for bouquets, gardens and decorative arrangements, and the florist is called louloudas.
Loutro
A formal word for a bath or bathing. It appears in place names such as Loutraki and Loutra Edipsou, which are known for natural hot springs.
Louvi
Refers to black-eyed beans, often cooked with greens, olive oil and lemon. The plural louvia is more common, and it’s a traditional dish in Greek homes.
Lykos
The Greek word for a wolf, which is the root of the Latin lupus and of words like lycanthrope. It also appears as the name element in Lykos, Lykourgos and many place names.
Lykeio
The upper secondary school in Greece, attended for three years from ages 15 to 18. The name comes from Aristotle’s school, the Lyceum, in ancient Athens.
Lyra
A stringed instrument used in ancient Greece and still played in Crete and the Dodecanese. The Cretan lyra is a small bowed instrument central to island folk music.
Lyssa
The Greek word for rabies, and also for rage. In ancient Greek myth, Lyssa was the goddess of frenzy and uncontrollable fury.
Lysi
Means the answer to a problem or the dissolving of something. It gave English the word analysis, from ana plus lysis, meaning loosening up.
Lypi
The standard word for sadness or grief. The phrase “lypamai” means I’m sorry, and “Lypi” is also found in Greek folk songs about love and loss.
Lypamai
The common way to apologize or express sympathy. It literally means I am saddened, and is used both for small mistakes and for condolences.
Lygo
Spelled ligo in Greek, it is one of the most common words for a small amount. It’s used in everyday requests such as “ligo psomi” (a bit of bread).
Lipon
A handy discourse word used to start or change a topic, like “so” or “well then” in English. It’s very common in spoken Greek.
Lochos
A military unit, similar to a company. It also had a meaning in ancient Greece as a battle formation, and lochagos is the officer commanding it.
Lofos
A small hill or mound. Athens has several famous ones, such as Lycabettus (Lykavittos) and Philopappou Hill, which give panoramic views of the Acropolis.
Lykavittos
The tallest hill in central Athens, rising about 277 meters. A small white chapel, St. George, sits at the top and the view takes in the Acropolis and the sea.