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lakh
lahk
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In South Asian English, the number one hundred thousand (100,000).
"The car costs five lakh rupees."
"The festival drew a crowd of over a lakh people."
How to Use Lakh
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA South Asian counting unit meaning 100,000, used constantly in Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi English.
UK vs US
Standard in Indian English but not used in British or American English, where "hundred thousand" is used instead.
Common pairings
one lakh rupees
lakhs of people
Word Forms
lakhs plural, lakh plural, lakhs plural, lakh plural
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Etymology
From Hindi/Urdu लाख / لاکھ (lākh), from Sanskrit lakṣa.