I. ˈlä noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin, from Latin la bii lip's, a word sung to this note in a medieval hymn to St. John the Baptist
1. : the sixth tone of the diatonic scale in solmization
2. : the tone A in the fixed-do system
II. ˈlȯ, ˈlä interjection
Etymology: Middle English (northern dialect), from Old English lā
1. now chiefly dialect — used for emphasis
indeed, la , 'tis a noble child — Shakespeare
la ! Yes, I've heard tell about that old mortar — Ford Times
2. now chiefly dialect — used to express surprise
la … how very smirking — Charles Dickens
III. ˈlä adjective
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: French, feminine of le, definite article, the, from Latin ille that one, that — more at lariat
: the — used with the family name of a woman
shrugged elaborately — a crib … from La Dietrich — Nicholas Monsarrat
IV. abbreviation
last