LATEX is a macro package that enables authors to typeset and print their work at the highest typographical quality, using a predefined, professional layout. LATEX was originally written by Leslie Lamport [1]. It uses the TEX formatter as its typesetting engine. These days LATEX is maintained by Frank Mittelbach.
LATEX is pronounced ``Lay-tech'' or ``Lah-tech.'' If you refer to LATEX in an ASCII environment, you type LaTeX. LATEX2e is pronounced ``Lay-tech two e'' and typed LaTeX2e.