Word
lakh
UK/lˈæk/
Definitions
01one hundred thousand
num. the number 100,000. You will see this used in India, Pakistan, and nearby countries.
num. a unit in the South Asian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand (100,000).
“The company announced that it had sold over a lakh of cars this year.”
“The government reported that more than five lakh people had been affected by the seasonal flooding in the northern provinces.”
Dialect
Usage
In South Asian English, it is standard to place a comma after the '1' in 1,00,000 rather than using the international 100,000 format.
Teaching tip
This is essential vocabulary for anyone doing business or reading news in South Asia, but it is rarely used or understood by speakers outside that region.
Synonyms
02currency amount
n. one hundred thousand rupees or other local currency.
n. a sum of one hundred thousand units of currency, typically rupees.
“The repairs to the house are going to cost at least two lakhs.”
“The prize money for the local cricket tournament was set at ten lakhs, attracting teams from across the state.”
Dialect
Usage
The plural form 'lakhs' is used when referring to multiple units of 100,000.
Teaching tip
Note that in South Asian English, large numbers are often described in lakhs and crores rather than millions.
03a very large number
n. a very large, unspecified number of things.
n. used figuratively, often in the plural, to indicate an indefinitely large number.
“I have told you lakhs of times to keep your room clean.”
“The poet described the night sky as being filled with lakhs of shimmering stars.”
Dialect · Informal
Usage
Usually appears in the plural form 'lakhs of' followed by a noun.
Teaching tip
This is a regional equivalent to the way 'millions' or 'thousands' is used for exaggeration in other English dialects.
Etymology
Borrowed from Hindustani लाख or لاکھ (lākh), from Sanskrit लक्ष (lakṣa), from लक्ष् (lakṣ, “to mark; to sign; to observe, perceive”), possibly from रक्ष् (rakṣ, “to observe (a duty, law, etc.); to guard, protect”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂lek- (“to protect”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/lakh