Definition

Noun: - The cardinal number that is the fifth power of ten; one hundred thousand (100,000). This term is used primarily in the Indian subcontinent and other regions influenced by its numbering system to denote the quantity one hundred thousand.

Usage

• The word "lakh" is a singular noun used with a singular verb, even though it represents a large number. It is commonly used in contexts involving currency, population, or any large numerical quantity in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
• It is often written with numerals, e.g., "1 lakh" means 100,000. In text, it is sometimes abbreviated as "L" or "lac".

Examples

• Noun:
  • The car costs five lakh rupees. (This means the car costs 500,000 rupees.)
  • The city has a population of over twenty lakh people. (This means the city has a population of over 2,000,000 people.)
  • She earned a salary of eight lakhs per annum. (This means she earned 800,000 per year.)

Advanced Usage

• "In lakhs": Used to express amounts in multiples of one hundred thousand.
  • The budget was discussed in terms of crores and lakhs. (The budget was discussed in terms of tens of millions and hundreds of thousands.)
• The term is part of the Indian numbering system, where numbers are grouped in sets of two digits after the first three digits (e.g., 10,00,000 is ten lakh, equivalent to one million).

Variants and Related Words

• Lac (n): An alternative spelling for "lakh," though less common.
• Crore (n): The cardinal number that is ten million (10,000,000). In the Indian numbering system, one crore equals one hundred lakh.

Synonyms

• Hundred thousand: The direct numerical equivalent in the international numbering system.
• 100K: An informal abbreviation used in finance and general writing.

Notes on Different Meanings

• Important Distinction: The word "lakh" is a specific numerical term. It should not be confused with the homograph "lac" (also spelled "lakh"), which can refer to a resinous substance secreted by insects (used to make shellac) or, in a medical prescription abbreviation, to "lac" meaning milk. The numerical term "lakh" is distinct in its primary usage and context.

Noun

1. the cardinal number that is the fifth power of ten