lamb

1 of 2

noun

ˈlam How to pronounce lamb (audio)
Synonyms of lambnext
1
a
: a young sheep
especially : one that is less than one year old or without permanent teeth
b
: the young of various animals (such as the smaller antelopes) other than sheep
2
a
: a gentle or weak person
b
: dear, pet
c
: a person easily cheated or deceived especially in trading securities
3
a
: the flesh of a lamb used as food
b
: lambskin
lamblike
ˈlam-ˌlīk How to pronounce lamb (audio)
adjective
lamby
ˈla-mē How to pronounce lamb (audio)
adjective

Illustration of lamb

Illustration of lamb
  • A wholesale cuts
  • 1 leg
  • 2 loin
  • 3 rack
  • 4 breast
  • 5 shank
  • 6 shoulder
  • B retail cuts
  • a leg
  • b sirloin chops and roast
  • c loin chops and rolled loin roast
  • d patties and chopped roast
  • e rib chops and crown roast
  • f riblets and stew; and stuffed or rolled breast
  • g shoulder roast and shoulder chops
  • h neck slices
  • i shanks
  • j blade chops
  • k arm chops

lamb

2 of 2

verb

lambed; lambing; lambs

intransitive verb

: to bring forth a lamb

transitive verb

1
: to bring forth (a lamb)
2
: to tend (ewes) at lambing time
lamber
ˈla-mər How to pronounce lamb (audio)
noun

Synonyms of lamb

Relevance

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of lamb in a Sentence

Noun She's as gentle as a lamb. the new guys at football camp were lambs who hardly knew what awaited them Verb The ewes will lamb soon.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Dobbs even let her children get pet lambs. —Leigh Kiniry, CBS News, 18 June 2026 For years, the standard treatment has involved avoiding foods that come from cows, pigs and lambs while carrying an epinephrine injector in case of medical emergency. —Matthew Perrone, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
Verb
April is lambing season, the perfect time to visit Herriot Country. —Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026 Likewise, the lambing season, which traditionally represents renewal, starts out disastrously with the loss of several lambs under cruel circumstances. —Paula Cooper, CBS News, 5 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for lamb

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German lamb lamb

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1611, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of lamb was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing lamb

Rhymes for lamb

See All Rhymes for lamb

Browse Nearby Words

Lamaze
lamb
Lamb
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lamb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lamb. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.

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Kids Definition

lamb

1 of 2 noun
ˈlam How to pronounce lamb (audio)
1
a
: a young sheep especially less than one year old or without permanent teeth
b
: the flesh of a lamb used as food
2
: an innocent, weak, or gentle person

lamb

2 of 2 verb
: to give birth to a lamb

Biographical Definition

Lamb 1 of 3

biographical name (1)

ˈlam How to pronounce Lamb (audio)
Charles 1775–1834 pseudonym Elia ˈe-lē-ə How to pronounce Lamb (audio)
commonly ˈē-
 English essayist and critic

Lamb

2 of 3

biographical name (2)

William 1779–1848 2nd Viscount Melbourne English statesman

Lamb

3 of 3

biographical name (3)

Willis Eugene 1913–2008 American physicist

More from Merriam-Webster on lamb

Nglish: Translation of lamb for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lamb

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