latex
noun
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L23996 on Wikidata ↗Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈlɑːtɛx/ / /ˈleɪtɛx/ / /ˈlɑːtɛk/ / /ˈleɪtɛks/ / /ˈleɪˌtɛks/
name
Etymology: Usually thought to be a blend of Lamport + TeX, the former being the surname of its creator, Leslie Lamport.
- A digital typesetting system for mathematical and scientific formulae layout, based on TeX; often stylized as LaTeX.
noun
Etymology: Borrowed from New Latin latex (“clear fluid which is part of a humour or bodily fluid”), a later use of Latin latex (“water; liquid, fluid”). Potentially a borrowing from Ancient Greek λᾰ́τᾰξ (lắtăx, “drop of wine”), reformed by analogy to other nouns in -ex. The semantic shift, however, from drop of wine to water is difficult to explain and may indicate that both words originated from a separate language. Perhaps from the same root as Proto-Celtic *latis (Old Irish laith (“liquid, beer”), Welsh llad (“beer”)) or Proto-Germanic *ladjō- (Old High German letto (“clay, loam”), Old Norse leðja (“mud, dregs”)) or from a Pre-Greek language.
- A clear liquid believed to be a component of a humour or other bodily fluid (esp. plasma and lymph).
- The milky sap of several trees that coagulates on exposure to air; used to make rubber.
- An emulsion of rubber in water, used in adhesives and the like.
- Natural latex rubber, especially nonvulcanized rubber, such as is used in making latex gloves, latex condoms, and latex clothing.