16-letter words containing t, i, a
- laplace equation — the second-order partial differential equation indicating that the Laplace operator operating on a given function results in zero. Compare harmonic (def 4c).
- large-print book — a book where the text is printed in larger text than normal, so as to make it easier to read, esp for the visually impaired
- larger than life — If you say that someone or something is larger than life, you mean that they appear or behave in a way that seems more exaggerated or important than usual.
- larger-than-life — exceedingly imposing, impressive, or memorable, especially in appearance or forcefulness: a larger-than-life leader.
- latent ambiguity — uncertainty that arises when a seemingly clear written instrument is matched against an extrinsic fact, as when a description of something being sold fits two different items.
- lateral meristem — meristem located along the sides of a part, as a stem or root.
- lateral thinking — unconventional or creative problem-solving
- latissimus dorsi — a broad, flat muscle on each side of the midback, the action of which draws the arm backward and downward and rotates the front of the arm toward the body.
- latter-day saint — a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- lattice constant — a parameter, either a measure of length or angle, that defines the size and shape of the unit cell of a crystal lattice.
- laurentides park — a national park in SE Canada, in Quebec province between the St. Lawrence and Lake St. John.
- lawson criterion — (in a hypothetical nuclear fusion reactor) the requirement that in order for the energy produced by fusion to exceed the energy expended in causing the fusion, the product of the density of the fuel and the time during which it is confined at that density (Lawson product) must be greater than a certain number that depends on the kind of fuel used.
- lay intermediary — a layperson who is interposed between a lawyer and client to prevent the existence of a direct relationship between them.
- lead(ii) acetate — a white crystalline toxic solid used in dyeing cotton and in making varnishes and enamels. Formula: Pb(CH3CO)2
- leading question — a question so worded as to suggest the proper or desired answer.
- leaf-cutting ant — any of several tropical American ants of the genus Atta that cut and chew bits of leaves and flowers into a mash that they use to cultivate a fungus garden.
- leaf-cutting bee — any of the bees of the family Megachilidae that cut circular pieces from leaves or flowers to line their nests.
- leap in the dark — to spring through the air from one point or position to another; jump: to leap over a ditch.
- learner's permit — A learner's permit is a license that allows you to drive a vehicle before you have passed your driving test.
- leave it at that — to take a matter no further
- led page printer — LED printer
- left parenthesis — (character) "(". ASCII character 40. Common names: left paren; left parenthesis; left; open; paren (")" = thesis); open paren; open parenthesis; left parenthesis; left banana. Rare: so (")" = already); lparen; ITU-T: opening parenthesis; open round bracket, left round bracket, INTERCAL: wax (")" = wane); parenthisey (")" = unparenthisey); left ear. Paired with right parenthesis (")").
- legal dictionary — a specialized dictionary covering terms used in the various branches of the legal profession, as civil law, criminal law, and corporate law. A comprehensive legal dictionary adds to its body of standard English entries many words and phrases that have made their way into modern legal practice from law French and Latin and are rarely found in a general English monolingual dictionary. Such a specialized dictionary is useful not only for law students and for attorneys themselves, but for members of the lay public who require legal services. Legal dictionaries published in print follow the normal practice of sorting entry terms alphabetically, while electronic dictionaries, such as the online Dictionary of Law on Dictionary.com, allow direct, immediate access to a search term.
- legal separation — judicial separation.
- legislative veto — a veto exercised by a legislature nullifying or reversing an action, decision, etc., of the executive branch.
- lenticular cloud — a very smooth, round or oval, lens-shaped cloud that is often seen, singly or stacked in groups, near a mountain ridge.
- leptosporangiate — (of ferns) having each sporangium developing from a single cell, rather than from a group, and normally with specialized explosive spore dispersal
- lesbian cymatium — cyma reversa.
- lethal injection — dose of deadly chemical into a vein
- letter of advice — a notification from a consignor to a consignee giving specific information as to a shipment, the name of the carrier, the date shipped, etc.
- levallois-perret — a suburb of Paris, in N France, on the Seine.
- lexicostatistics — the statistical study of the vocabulary of a language or languages for historical purposes.
- libation-bearers — Choëphori.
- liberal democrat — In Britain, a Liberal Democrat is a member of the Liberal Democrat Party.
- liberal unionist — a Liberal who opposed Gladstone's policy of Irish Home Rule in 1886 and after
- library pictures — a caption used to alert viewers that footage being broadcast is from an earlier time and is not happening now
- lick observatory — the astronomical observatory of the University of California, situated on Mount Hamilton, near San Jose, California, and having a 120-inch (3-meter) reflecting telescope and a 36-inch (91-cm) refracting telescope.
- life after death — If you talk about life after death, you are discussing the possibility that people may continue to exist in some form after they die.
- life-threatening — endangering life: a life-threatening illness.
- light adaptation — the reflex adaptation of the eye to bright light, consisting of an increase in the number of functioning cones, accompanied by a decrease in the number of functioning rods (opposed to dark adaptation).
- lighter than air — (of an aircraft) weighing less than the air it displaces, hence obtaining lift from aerostatic buoyancy.
- lighter-than-air — (of an aircraft) weighing less than the air it displaces, hence obtaining lift from aerostatic buoyancy.
- lightheartedness — carefree; cheerful; merry: a lighthearted laugh.
- lignin sulfonate — a brown powder consisting of a sulfonate salt made from waste liquor of the sulfate pulping process of soft wood: used in concrete, leather tanning, as an additive in oil-well drilling mud, and as a source of vanillin.
- like cat and dog — quarrelling savagely
- like gangbusters — a law-enforcement officer who specializes in breaking up organized crime, often by forceful or sensational means.
- limited monarchy — a monarchy that is limited by laws and a constitution.
- limited-monarchy — a limited train, bus, etc.
- line of latitude — an imaginary line on a globe, map, etc, indicating latitude
- linguistic atlas — dialect atlas.