A lamb is a young sheep, but the word also has a few other meanings. It can referTo point to or be used for something specific to the meat from a young sheep, a mildGentle, not harsh, severe, or strong or innocentNot guilty, pure, or lacking harmful intent person, or the act of giving birth to a lamb.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /læm/
Easy pronunciation: LAM (approximate spelling).
Stress: One syllable; stress is on the whole word.
Primary sense: a young sheep.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Lamb Meaning
a baby sheep
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a young sheep
Example: The lamb stayed close to its mother in the field.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Lamb
Meaning 2
meat from a young sheep
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the flesh of a young domestic sheep eaten as food
Example: We had roast lamb for dinner.
Meaning 3
a gentle, innocent person
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a sweet innocent mild-mannered person (especially a child)
Example: She was a lamb and never caused any trouble.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- dear — Can work as an affectionate term, but it is not a precise everyday synonym for this sense.
Meaning 4
someone who is easy to fool or cheat
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a person easily deceived or cheated (especially in financial matters)
Example: He looked like a lamb to the salesmen.
Meaning 5
to give birth to a lamb
Part of speech: verb
Definition: give birth to a lamb
Example: The ewe lambed overnight.
Meaning 6
Charles Lamb, the English essayist
Part of speech: noun
Definition: English essayist (1775-1834)
Example: Charles Lamb wrote the Essays of Elia.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- charles lamb — Proper name for the writer.
- elia — Pseudonym used by Charles Lamb, but not a general synonym for the word.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Lamb Synonyms
a sweet innocent mild-mannered person (especially a child)
- dear
English essayist (1775-1834)
- charles lamb
- elia
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Don’t confuse lamb the animal with lamb the meat.
- Don’t use lamb as a general synonym for a weak or naive person unless that specific sense is intended.
- Lamb the writer is a proper name, not the same as the animal or food sense.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does lamb mean?
Lamb most commonly means a young sheep. It can also mean lamb meat, a gentle or innocent person, someone who is easily fooled, the act of giving birth to a lamb, or the surname of the essayist Charles Lamb.
What is the plural of lamb?
The plural is lambs.
Is lamb the same as sheep?
Not exactly. A lamb is a young sheep, while sheep is the general name for the animal.
What is lamb meat called?
Lamb meat is simply called lamb.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-18. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.