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Definition of labe
labe
/ˈlɑː.beɪ/
La · be
labe Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
11
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
The Czech name for the River Elbe, a major central European waterway that originates in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before flowing through Bohemia and continuing into Germany.
Example
"The historic city of Hradec Králové is beautifully situated at the confluence of the Labe and the Orlice rivers."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for labeWord Nuance & Usage
In English discourse, this river is predominantly referred to by its German name, the Elbe; the name 'Labe' is strictly reserved for contexts explicitly discussing Czech geography, history, or hydrology.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From the Czech proper noun 'Labe', derived from the Proto-Slavic '*Laba'. This ultimately stems from the ancient Germanic river name '*Albiz' (recorded in Latin as 'Albis').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Labe. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/labe