lambda

noun

lamb·da ˈlam-də

: the 11th letter of the Greek alphabet see Alphabet Table

: an uncharged unstable elementary particle that has a mass 2183 times that of an electron and that decays typically into a nucleon and a pion

Etymology

Middle English, from Greek, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew lāmedh lamed

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of lambda was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Style

“Lambda.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lambda. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

lambda

noun

lamb·da ˈlam-də

: the eleventh letter of the Greek alphabet

—Λ or λ

lambda

noun

lamb·da ˈlam-də

: the point of junction of the sagittal and lambdoid sutures of the skull

: bacteriophage lambda

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