LP

¹ American  

abbreviation

1. long playing; long play:

   1. a vinyl phonograph record played at 33 1/3 rpm and typically containing seven or more tracks, or one or more long classical pieces.

   2. a full-length music album, typically comprised of ten to twelve songs: called LP as an evolution of the traditional long-playing record, albums in other formats are not known by the underlying expanded form, and identified only by the abbreviation.

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L.P. ² American  

Or l.p.

abbreviation

1. long primer.

2. low pressure.

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LP ¹ British  

noun

1. 1. a long-playing gramophone record: usually one 12 inches (30 cm) or 10 inches (25 cm) in diameter, designed to rotate at 33 1/ 3 revolutions per minute Compare EP

   2. ( as modifier )

      an LP sleeve

2. long play: a slow-recording facility on a VCR which allows twice the length of material to be recorded on a tape from that of standard play

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LP ² British  

abbreviation

1. (in Britain) Lord Provost

2. Also: lp.  low pressure

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L/P ³ British  

abbreviation

1. letterpress

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Other Word Forms

• mini-LP noun

Etymology

Origin of LP

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

The classic LP, arranged by Nelson Riddle and now available in a 70th-anniversary vinyl edition from Blue Note, persuasively puts classic love songs to a faster, jazzy beat.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

In 1973, the Isley Brothers remade the song on their “3 + 3” LP; two decades after that, the gothic metal band Type O Negative recorded a sludgy, slowed-down rendition.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

For some, the LP may be gorgeous to a fault—musically, there’s very little friction or dissonance on the album, nothing harsh to dislodge you from the spell the record casts.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

Mr. Styles’s 2022 LP, “Harry’s House,” narrowed those expectations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

I held my breath while Vonetta slid the shiny black LP out of its paper sleeve and placed it onto the turntable.

From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia