12

The USPS has a list of street suffixes (like Street, Avenue, road, etc.) and acceptable abbreviations for them (like ST, AV, and RD) One of them is Loaf (LF). I've done a bit of research and cannot find a definition of loaf that makes sense in the context of a street suffix.

We have the common definitions of the noun (bread) and verb (to lounge around), and a region-specific (UK) one where loaf=head/brain, ie, loaf of bread (rhymes with head) that I found on Wiktionary.

(https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/loaf)

So what is a loaf in terms of a street name suffix?

Improve this question
14
  • It's not familiar. It's vaguely possible that the word is used for "block" in some cities somewhere.
    – Hot Licks
    Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 20:55
  • Use yer loaf, mate! Obscure???!!!
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 21:04
  • 1
    @FumbleFingers obscure here in the states. I've corrected that :)
    – chiliNUT
    Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 21:11
  • 2
    Great question!
    – DyingIsFun
    Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 21:27
  • 1
    There's a tiny street in my neighborhood with that abbeviation PT. It probably stands for Point, although there's nothing pointy about it.
    – Oldcat
    Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 21:45

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
12

Notice that the list of street suffixes you gave also includes words like "mountain", "valley", "stream", "glen", and other nature words.

According to Wikipedia, there are a few hills and mountains in the US called Sugar Loaf:

The name "Sugar Loaf" refers to the former formation's resemblance to the conical loaves that sugar used to be packaged and sold in. There are many hills and mountains named "Sugar Loaf" in the United States. At least three other hills or bluffs bearing the name "Sugar Loaf" are located in or near the Mississippi River Valley

Here is a photo of a classic sugarloaf.

Apparently, the word sugarloaf is "now used chiefly in similes and metaphors to describe the shape of other objects" (here).

In fact, there is a conventional use of sugarloaf which refers only to specific landforms (see here).

All of this points to the fact that the abbreviation LF can plausibly be taken to stand for loaf in constructions abbreviating "Sugar Loaf", as in

  • "I'm from Sugar LF."
  • "I live on Sugar LF."

That this is correct is corroborated by this website, where "LF" is used to abbreviate the "loaf" in "Sugar Loaf."

In fact, if you google "Sugar LF, address", you get a lot of hits for streets/places apparently called "Sugar Loaf."

One can (presumably) also use "LF" to abbreviate "loaf" in place names like "High Loaf" and "White Loaf", although I can find no addresses corroborating this.

Improve this answer
5
  • ha! and you found some real street addresses to back it up. awesome
    – chiliNUT
    Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 21:31
  • 3
    I think you've got it. One of the OED's obsolete definitions of loaf is a mass or lump whence meatloaf and places like High Loaf, Brown Loaf. Twopenny Loaf, White Loaf, etc.
    – choster
    Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 21:36
  • @choster, It would be interesting to know whether the abbreviation "LF" was derived directly from "Sugar Loaf" or whether it was derived more generally from names like those in your list. Given the amount of places designated "Sugar Loaf" in contrast to other places designated with "loaf", it seems likely the former.
    – DyingIsFun
    Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 21:42
  • Nice bit of detective work there!
    – Hot Licks
    Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 21:52
  • 1
    The USPS list is truly mind-boggling. It lists HL (Hill), MTN (Mountain), BLF (Bluff) and - worthy of its own question - STR for "STREME" (sic).
    – Rob_Ster
    Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 22:49

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .