# LAC

/ˈɫæk/ (US) · /lˈæk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/lac
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. resinous substance

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a natural sticky substance produced by insects, used to make varnish or shiny coatings.

For teachers: a resinous secretion of the scale insect Kerria lacca, used commercially to produce shellac and lacquer.

- The craftsman used a layer of lac to give the wooden box a deep, red shine.
- Historically, the harvesting of lac was a significant industry in Southeast Asia, providing the raw material for high-quality traditional varnishes.

### 2. medical cut

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Technical

a short way to say 'laceration', which means a deep cut in the skin.

For teachers: a colloquial clipping of 'laceration', referring to a jagged wound or tear in the flesh.

- The doctor had to clean a small lac on the boy's forehead after he fell.
- The emergency room physician noted a three-centimetre lac on the patient's forearm that required several sutures to close properly.

### 3. looked-after children

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Formal

Stands for Looked-After Children.

For teachers: Abbreviation for Looked-After Children; used in social work to describe minors in the care of local authorities.

- The new government policy aims to provide better educational support for LAC.
- Social services conducted a comprehensive review of the housing conditions for LAC within the borough to ensure compliance with safety standards.

### 4. Line of Actual Control

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

Stands for Line of Actual Control.

For teachers: Abbreviation for Line of Actual Control; refers to the effective border between India and China.

- Soldiers from both countries are stationed along the LAC in the mountains.
- Diplomatic tensions escalated following reports of unauthorized movements near the LAC, prompting both nations to increase their military presence in the region.

### 5. Cadillac

noun · CEFR C2 · American English · Slang

a slang name for a Cadillac car.

For teachers: a slang clipping of Cadillac, typically used in informal or urban contexts.

- He spent all his savings on a classic black Lac with chrome wheels.
- The music video featured several vintage Lacs cruising through the city streets at night.

## Examples

- The school uses LAC to teach history in English.
- By implementing a LAC program, the university allows international students to master technical terminology while studying their core engineering modules.
- Proponents of LAC argue that contextualizing language learning within academic disciplines fosters deeper cognitive engagement than isolated grammar drills, leading to superior long-term retention of both content and syntax.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.