lambda

American  

[lam-duh] / ˈlæm də /

noun

1. the 11th letter of the Greek alphabet (Λ, λ).

2. the consonant sound represented by this letter.

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lambda British  

/ ˈlæmdə /

noun

1. the 11th letter of the Greek alphabet (Λ, λ), a consonant transliterated as l

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Etymology

Origin of lambda

< Greek lá ( m ) bda < Semitic; lamed

Example Sentences

Theorists could account for this force by adding a cosmological constant, lambda, to Albert Einstein’s theory of gravity.

From Science Magazine • Apr. 4, 2024

In this study, they found that the lambda phage shares this mechanism.

From Science Daily • Nov. 21, 2023

Teasing out the subtle signal of lambda decay—the particles are too short-lived for direct detection—required more than 10 years of effort.

From Scientific American • Apr. 27, 2023

For all of its promise, though, the drug — called pegylated interferon lambda — faces an uncertain road to the commercial market.

From New York Times • Feb. 8, 2023

Among the abnormalities were oxycephaly, platycephaly, stenocephaly, plagiocephaly, and heads with marked depression either at the bregma or the lambda.

From Degeneracy Its Causes, Signs and Results by Talbot, Eugene S.