lau

See also: Lau, lầu, lâu, laŭ, lẩu, la'u, and łá’ȕ

Aromanian

Alternative forms

• alau

Etymology

From Latin lavō. Compare Romanian la, lau.

Verb

lau (third-person singular present indicative la, past participle latã)

1. I wash.
2. (reflexive, mi-lau) I wash myself.

Synonyms

• spel, aspel

Related terms

• lari/lare
• lat
• spel

See also

• ascaldu
• culimbisescu

---

Basque

Basque numbers ^(edit)

	40
←  3	4	5  →
Cardinal: lau     Ordinal: laugarren     Multiplier: laukoitz     Fractional: laurden

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lau̯/, [lau̯]

• Audio

  (file)

Etymology 1

From Proto-Basque *lanu, from Latin plānum.

Adjective

lau (comparative lauago, superlative lauen, excessive lauegi)

1. flat, level
2. plain, simple

Declension

Declension of lau (adjective, ending in vowel)
		indefinite	singular	plural
absolutive		lau	laua	lauak
ergative		lauk	lauak	lauek
dative		lauri	lauari	lauei
genitive		lauren	lauaren	lauen
comitative		laurekin	lauarekin	lauekin
causative		laurengatik	lauarengatik	lauengatik
benefactive		laurentzat	lauarentzat	lauentzat
instrumental		lauz	lauaz	lauez
inessive	anim.	laurengan	lauarengan	lauengan
	inanim.	lautan	lauan	lauetan
locative	anim.	—	—	—
	inanim.	lautako	lauko	lauetako
allative	anim.	laurengana	lauarengana	lauengana
	inanim.	lautara	laura	lauetara
terminative	anim.	laurenganaino	lauarenganaino	lauenganaino
	inanim.	lautaraino	lauraino	lauetaraino
directive	anim.	laurenganantz	lauarenganantz	lauenganantz
	inanim.	lautarantz	laurantz	lauetarantz
destinative	anim.	laurenganako	lauarenganako	lauenganako
	inanim.	lautarako	laurako	lauetarako
ablative	anim.	laurengandik	lauarengandik	lauengandik
	inanim.	lautatik	lautik	lauetatik
partitive		laurik	—	—
prolative		lautzat	—	—

Adverb

lau (comparative lauago, superlative lauen, excessive lauegi)

1. simply

Noun

lau inan

1. plain (an open, grassy, mostly treeless land)

Declension

Declension of lau (inanimate, ending in vowel)
	indefinite	singular	plural
absolutive	lau	laua	lauak
ergative	lauk	lauak	lauek
dative	lauri	lauari	lauei
genitive	lauren	lauaren	lauen
comitative	laurekin	lauarekin	lauekin
causative	laurengatik	lauarengatik	lauengatik
benefactive	laurentzat	lauarentzat	lauentzat
instrumental	lauz	lauaz	lauez
inessive	lautan	lauan	lauetan
locative	lautako	lauko	lauetako
allative	lautara	laura	lauetara
terminative	lautaraino	lauraino	lauetaraino
directive	lautarantz	laurantz	lauetarantz
destinative	lautarako	laurako	lauetarako
ablative	lautatik	lautik	lauetatik
partitive	laurik	—	—
prolative	lautzat	—	—

Etymology 2

From Proto-Basque *laur (“four”). Often compared with Iberian lau(r) (“four”) and Aquitanian *laur-, present in numerous compounds, such as *laurco, *laurina and in the toponym *Laureiereta (“Four Mills”). Possibly related to labur.

Numeral

lau

1. four

Usage notes

The declension of the plural forms changes when used as a pronoun. This is not currently reflected in the table below.

Declension

Declension of lau (numeral, ending in vowel)
		indefinite	singular	plural
absolutive		lau	laua	lauak
ergative		lauk	lauak	lauek
dative		lauri	lauari	lauei
genitive		lauren	lauaren	lauen
comitative		laurekin	lauarekin	lauekin
causative		laurengatik	lauarengatik	lauengatik
benefactive		laurentzat	lauarentzat	lauentzat
instrumental		lauz	lauaz	lauez
inessive	anim.	laurengan	lauarengan	lauengan
	inanim.	lautan	lauan	lauetan
locative	anim.	—	—	—
	inanim.	lautako	lauko	lauetako
allative	anim.	laurengana	lauarengana	lauengana
	inanim.	lautara	laura	lauetara
terminative	anim.	laurenganaino	lauarenganaino	lauenganaino
	inanim.	lautaraino	lauraino	lauetaraino
directive	anim.	laurenganantz	lauarenganantz	lauenganantz
	inanim.	lautarantz	laurantz	lauetarantz
destinative	anim.	laurenganako	lauarenganako	lauenganako
	inanim.	lautarako	laurako	lauetarako
ablative	anim.	laurengandik	lauarengandik	lauengandik
	inanim.	lautatik	lautik	lauetatik
partitive		laurik	—	—
prolative		lautzat	—	—

Further reading

• “lau” in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia, euskaltzaindia.eus
• “lau” in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia, euskaltzaindia.eus

---

Esperanto

Preposition

lau

1. H-system spelling of laŭ

---

German

Etymology

From Middle High German lā (inflected lāwe), from Old High German lāo. Cognate with Dutch lauw. Also related with English lukewarm.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /laʊ̯/
• Rhymes: -aʊ̯

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

lau (strong nominative masculine singular lauer, comparative lauer, superlative am lauesten or am lausten)

1. Synonym of lauwarm (“lukewarm, tepid”)
2. (often of wind or the night) mild; especially in the sense that it is pleasantly cool after a period of heat

   Synonym: mild

   Es war eine laue Sommernacht. ― It was a mild summer night. [i.e. one that is warm, but bringing welcome cooling after a hot day]

3. cushy, easy

   ein lauer Job ― a cushy job

Derived terms

• für lau
• lauer Lenz (“period of idleness”)

sich einen lauen Lenz machen ― to get on a gravy train, to ride the gravy train

Further reading

• “lau” in Duden online
• “lau” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

---

Hawaiian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlau̯/, [ˈlɐw]
• (rapid speech) IPA^(key): [ˈlɔw]

Etymology 1

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *lau, from Proto-Polynesian *rau, from Proto-Central Pacific *rau, from Proto-Oceanic *raun, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *raun, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *daun, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *dahun (“leaf”).

Noun

lau

1. leaf

Etymology 2

From Proto-Polynesian *rau (“hundred”).

Verb

lau

1. (stative) many, numerous

Numeral

lau

1. four hundred

References

• “lau” in the Hawaiian Dictionary, Revised and Enlarged Edition, University of Hawaii Press, 1986

---

Hiri Motu

Pronoun

lau

1. 1st-person singular pronoun: I, me

See also

Hiri Motu personal pronouns

			singular	plural
1st person			lau	ai (exclusive) ita (inclusive)
2nd person			oi	umui
3rd person			ia	idia

---

Kalo Finnish Romani

Noun

lau m (genitive laavesko, nominative plural laave, genitive plural laavengo)

1. word
2. talk

Derived terms

• bürjibosko laave
• džorjilbosko lau
• hoodibosko lau
• kuti laaveskiero
• laavengiiro
• laavesgiires
• laaveskiero
• laavesko liin
• pattijako lau
• xellibosko lau
• xluutibosko lau

 

---

Karo Batak

Noun

lau

1. water

References

• Ahmad Samin Siregar et al. (2001). Kamus Bahasa Karo–Indonesia. Medan: Balai Pustaka, p. 119.

---

Middle English

Noun

lau

1. Alternative form of lawe

---

North Frisian

Noun

lau

1. lion

Synonyms

• lööw

---

Old Welsh

Etymology

From Proto-Brythonic *llọβ̃, from Proto-Celtic *ɸlāmā, from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₂meh₂ (“palm, hand”).

Noun

lau f

1. hand

Descendants

• Welsh: llaw

---

Rapa Nui

Adjective

lau

1. wide

---

Romanian

Verb

lau

1. inflection of la:
   1. first-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
   2. third-person plural present/imperfect indicative

---

Samoan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *rau (compare Maori rau), from Proto-Oceanic, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *dahun (compare Malay daun).

Noun

lau

1. leaf

Numeral

lau

1. hundred

Derived terms

• lua lau (“two hundred”)

---

Tocharian B

Adverb

lau

1. away

   ṣañ wrat lau tärkanacer

   You are going to let your vow away. (literally)

   You are going to break your vow.

---

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [law˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [law˧˧]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [la(ː)w˧˧]

• Audio (Hồ Chí Minh City)

  (file)

Etymology 1

From Proto-Vietic *k-luː, cognate with Arem alaw.

Noun

(classifier cây) lau • (𣓿, 𦰤)

1. reed, arundinaceous cane

Etymology 2

Verb

lau

1. to clean by wiping or rubbing with a wet cloth

Derived terms

Derived terms

• lau dọn
• lau sạch

 

See also

• giặt
• rửa

---

Welsh

Pronunciation

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /laɨ̯/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /lai̯/

Noun

lau

1. Soft mutation of llau (“lice”).

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
llau	lau	unchanged	unchanged
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.