Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

laches

/ˈlætʃɪz/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.65 in modern English

Syllables: lach-es
IPA: /ˈlætʃɪz/

11

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Negligence in one's duty.

noun

An unreasonable delay in bringing a claim alleging a wrong, which means the person who waited shall not be permitted to seek an equitable remedy because the delay prejudiced the moving party.

name

Example Sentences

"But there was a quality in Mary that did not lightly invite to gallantry—a gravity and a balance that, had he looked closely into the matter, might have explained his laches."
"It ill became him to take advantage of such a laches with the eagerness of a shrewd attorney."

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman laches, from Old French lachesse (“laxness”), from laschier, from Vulgar Latin laxico, frequentative of Latin laxo (“relax, moderate, weaken”).

Regional Pronunciation

British English: /ˈlætʃɪz/

Homonyms

latches

Rhymes With

matches patches batches latches

Questions

How do you pronounce laches?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈlætʃɪz/.
What does laches mean?: Negligence in one's duty.
Where does laches come from?: From Anglo-Norman laches, from Old French lachesse (“laxness”), from laschier, from Vulgar Latin laxico, frequentative of Latin laxo (“relax, moderate, weaken”).

How to pronounce laches

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “laches”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈlætʃɪz/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “laches”.
Repeat and practice — Say “laches” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.