- Lamacoid and lamicoid are the same thing. Two spellings of one word, for one product: an engraved two-ply plastic ID tag.
- The word began as a trade name and became the generic term in Canada, the way Kleenex became the word for tissue.
- In French Canada it is lamicoïde, usually plaque lamicoïde. Limacoid is just a typo, and a common one.
- Spelling changes nothing about what arrives. The size, the colours, the wording and the mounting are what matter.
Two electricians can order the identical tag and spell it two different ways. One writes lamacoid, the other writes lamicoid, and both are right. If you have ever wondered whether you were saying it wrong, or whether the other spelling meant something else, this clears it up.
01The short answer
Use whichever spelling you already use. Lamacoid is the more common spelling in Ontario and most of English Canada. Lamicoid turns up just as often in the trade, particularly in Quebec, eastern Ontario and among suppliers whose paperwork came through French first.
Neither is a different grade, a different material, or a different process. Ask for either and you get the same engraved plate: a coloured surface layer bonded to a contrasting core, with the letters cut through the surface so the core shows through.
02Where the word comes from
It started as a brand. A manufacturer's product name for engraving laminate entered the trade, tradespeople used it for the tag rather than the sheet it was cut from, and it stopped belonging to any one supplier. That is the same path Kleenex, Thermos and Zamboni took.
Because it spread by word of mouth on job sites rather than through a dictionary, no single spelling ever got locked in. Two versions survived side by side, and both ended up in catalogues, on quotes and in specifications. That is the whole reason for the confusion.
You will not find it in most dictionaries even now. It is trade vocabulary, which is also why spell-check underlines it whichever way you type it.
03Every version you will see
| What you see | Where | Is it correct? |
|---|---|---|
| Lamacoid | Ontario and most of English Canada | Yes — the most common spelling |
| Lamicoid | Quebec, eastern Ontario, supplier catalogues | Yes — equally correct |
| Lamicoïde / plaque lamicoïde | French Canada | Yes — the French form |
| Lamacoids / lamicoids | Everywhere | Yes — just the plural |
| Limacoid | Search boxes and emails | No — a typo, but we know what you mean |
| Lamicoid tag, lamacoid label, lamacoid plate | Everywhere | Yes — the word plus what it is |
Outside Canada the word barely appears at all. In the UK and Australia the same tag is usually called Traffolyte, which is also a trade name that went generic. In the United States you are more likely to hear engraved nameplate, phenolic nameplate or legend plate. If you are specifying for a project with drawings from outside Canada, expect one of those words instead.
04What the tag is, whatever you call it
The product behind all of these names is a sheet of engraving laminate, most often phenolic, built in layers. The surface is one colour and the core beneath it is another. Engraving cuts through the surface and exposes the core, so the text is not printed on the tag — it is the tag.
That is why there is nothing to peel, fade or wipe off with solvent, and why codes that ask for permanent and legible identification accept an engraved plate where a printed sticker gets rejected. The two-colour naming follows the same order every time: surface first, core second. Red/white is a red plate with white letters.
Black / white
General electrical identification. Panel names, breaker tags, MCC buckets.
Red / white
Danger and safety-critical identification, including solar PV placards.
Yellow / black
Caution and warning plates around machinery and access points.
White / black
Legend plates and equipment ID on lighter panel faces.
05What to send when you order
Spell it however you like on the email. These are the details that actually decide what gets cut:
| Detail | Example |
|---|---|
| Wording, exactly as it should read | PANEL LP-2A / FED FROM MDP-1 |
| Plate size | 1" × 3", or "letters big enough to read from 10 feet" |
| Colours, surface first | Black/white, or red/white for solar |
| Mounting | Adhesive back, or two 1/8" holes on 2-1/2" centres |
| Quantity | 14 plates, all different wording |
A spreadsheet with one row per plate is the fastest thing to quote. If you already have one, the Lamacoid Builder will read it in whatever layout it is in and price the whole list. If you would rather just send it, email the list and we will quote it back.
06Common questions
Is it lamacoid or lamicoid?
Both. They are two spellings of the same word for the same product. Lamacoid is more common in Ontario and English Canada; lamicoid is widely used in Quebec and in supplier catalogues. No supplier will misunderstand either one.
Are lamacoids and lamicoids different products?
No. Same material, same engraving, same tag. The spelling carries no difference in grade, thickness, colour range or process.
What does lamacoid mean?
It means an engraved plastic identification tag or plate. The word began as a manufacturer's trade name for engraving laminate and became the generic term for the finished tag in Canada.
Is lamicoïde the French word for lamacoid?
Yes. In French Canada the tag is a lamicoïde, and a plate is usually called a plaque lamicoïde. It is the same product, and we engrave French wording, accents included.
Is "limacoid" a word?
No, it is a misspelling — though a frequent one, because of how the word sounds out loud. If you searched limacoid and landed here, you were looking for a lamacoid.
What is a lamacoid label?
The same tag with adhesive backing instead of screw holes, for sticking to a flush panel face or an enclosure door. See lamacoid labels for sizes and mounting.