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Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading Lazard Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Portfolio seeks total return from current income and capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Portfolio.

Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption Shareholder Transaction Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination 2013-04-30
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Portfolio shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 108% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 108.00%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.


The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same, giving effect to the fee waivers described above. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Portfolio invests primarily in debt securities issued or guaranteed by governments, government agencies or supranational bodies or companies or other private-sector entities, including fixed and/or floating rate investment grade and non-investment grade bonds, convertible securities, commercial paper, collateralized debt obligations, short- and medium-term obligations and other fixed-income obligations, and may invest in money market instruments such as certificates of deposit. The securities in which the Portfolio invests may be denominated in the U.S. dollar, the Canadian dollar, the Euro, the Japanese yen, the Pound Sterling, or the local currency of the issuer.


Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its assets in debt securities that are economically tied to emerging market countries. Emerging market countries include all countries not represented by the MSCI World Index. The Portfolio currently intends to focus its investments in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the developing countries of Europe, although the allocation of the Portfolio’s assets among countries and regions may vary from time to time based on the Investment Manager’s judgment and its analysis of market conditions.


The Portfolio is not limited to securities of any particular quality or investment grade and, as a result, the Portfolio may invest significantly in securities rated below investment grade (lower than Baa by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or lower than BBB by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group (“S&P”)) (“junk bonds”) or securities that are unrated. Additionally, the Portfolio is not restricted to investments in securities of any particular maturity or duration.


The Portfolio is non-diversified, which means that it may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers, when compared to a diversified fund.


The Portfolio generally will not purchase equity securities; however, the Portfolio may from time to time acquire and hold equity securities as a result of exercising a convertible debt security or holding a convertible debt security to maturity or in connection with the reorganization or bankruptcy of an issuer of a debt security held by the Portfolio.


The Portfolio may, but is not required to, purchase options on ETFs and currencies and enter into forward currency contracts and credit default swaps, for hedging purposes or to seek to increase returns.

Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading Principal Investment Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

While fixed-income securities are designed to produce a stable stream of income, their prices move inversely with changes in interest rates. Interest rate risk is usually greater for fixed-income securities with longer maturities or durations. The Portfolio’s investments in lower-rated, higher-yielding securities are subject to greater credit risk than its higher rated investments. Credit risk is the risk that the issuer will not make interest or principal payments, or will not make payments on a timely basis. Non-investment grade securities tend to be more volatile, less liquid and are considered speculative. If there is a decline, or perceived decline, in the credit quality of a debt security (or any guarantor of payment on such security), the security’s value could fall, potentially lowering the Portfolio’s share price. The value of your investment in the Portfolio will fluctuate, which means you could lose money.


Non-U.S. securities carry special risks, such as exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets, political instability, a lack of company information, differing auditing and legal standards, and, potentially, less liquidity. In addition, investments denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars carry the risk that such currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar and affect the value of these investments held in the Portfolio.


The Portfolio’s performance will be influenced by political, social and economic factors affecting the non- U.S. countries and companies in which the Portfolio invests. Emerging market countries can generally have economic structures that are less diverse and mature, and political systems that are less stable, than those of developed countries. The securities markets of emerging market countries have historically been extremely volatile. However, the capital markets in the U.S. and internationally have experienced unprecedented volatility in recent years, causing significant declines in the value and liquidity of many securities. These market conditions may continue or worsen.


Some debt securities may give the issuer the option to call, or redeem, the securities before their maturity. If securities held by the Portfolio are called during a time of declining interest rates (which is typically the case when issuers exercise options to call outstanding securities), the Portfolio may have to reinvest the proceeds in an investment offering a lower yield (and the Portfolio may not fully benefit from any increase in the value of its portfolio holdings as a result of declining interest rates).


The lack of a readily available market may limit the ability of the Portfolio to sell certain securities at the time and price it would like. The size of certain debt securities offerings of emerging markets issuers may be relatively smaller in size than debt offerings in more developed markets and, in some cases, the Portfolio, by itself or together with other Portfolios or other accounts managed by the Investment Manager, may hold a position in a security that is large relative to the typical trading volume for that security; these factors can make it difficult for the Portfolio to dispose of the position at the desired time or price.


Because the Portfolio may invest in a smaller number of issuers than other, more diversified, investment portfolios, the Portfolio’s NAV may be more vulnerable to changes in the market value of a single issuer or group of issuers and may be relatively more susceptible to adverse effects from any single corporate, industry, economic, market, political or regulatory occurrence than if the Portfolio’s investments consisted of securities issued by a larger number of issuers.


Derivatives transactions, including those entered into for hedging purposes, may reduce returns or increase volatility, perhaps substantially. Forward currency contracts, over-the-counter options on securities (including options on ETFs) and currencies, and swap agreements are subject to the risk of default by the counterparty and can be illiquid. These derivatives transactions, as well as the exchange-traded options in which the Portfolio may invest, are subject to many of the risks of, and can be highly sensitive to changes in the value of, the related currency, security or other reference asset. As such, a small investment could have a potentially large impact on the Portfolio’s performance. Whether or not the Portfolio engages in currency derivatives transactions, the Portfolio may experience a decline in the value of its portfolio securities, in U.S. dollar terms, due solely to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. Use of derivatives transactions, even if entered into for hedging purposes, may cause the Portfolio to experience losses greater than if the Portfolio had not engaged in such transactions.


The Portfolio’s investment strategy may involve high portfolio turnover (such as 100% or more). A portfolio turnover rate of 100%, for example, is equivalent to the Portfolio buying and selling all of its securities once during the course of the year. A high portfolio turnover rate could result in high brokerage costs and an increase in taxable capital gains distributions to the Portfolio’s shareholders.

Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney The value of your investment in the Portfolio will fluctuate, which means you could lose money.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text] rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus Because the Portfolio may invest in a smaller number of issuers than other, more diversified, investment portfolios, the Portfolio's NAV may be more vulnerable to changes in the market value of a single issuer or group of issuers and may be relatively more susceptible to adverse effects from any single corporate, industry, economic, market, political or regulatory occurrence than if the Portfolio's investments consisted of securities issued by a larger number of issuers.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading Performance Bar Chart and Table
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

Because the Portfolio did not have a full calendar year of performance as of the date of this Prospectus, no performance returns are presented. Annual performance returns provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in performance from year to year. Comparison of Portfolio performance to an appropriate index indicates how the Portfolio’s average annual returns compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Updated performance information is available at www.LazardNet.com or by calling (800) 823-6300. The Portfolio’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns Annual performance returns provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in performance from year to year.
Performance One Year or Less [Text] rr_PerformanceOneYearOrLess Because the Portfolio did not have a full calendar year of performance as of the date of this Prospectus, no performance returns are presented.
Performance Availability Phone [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone (800) 823-6300
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress www.LazardNet.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Portfolio's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.
Institutional Shares
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of Amount Redeemed) rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption (1.00%)
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.80%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.87%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.67%
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.67%) [1]
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.00% [1]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 102
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 340
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 597
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,331
Open Shares
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of Amount Redeemed) rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption (1.00%)
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.80%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 15.23%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 16.28%
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (14.98%) [1]
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.30% [1]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 132
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 433
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 756
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,671
[1] Reflects a contractual agreement by the Investment Manager to waive its fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Portfolio through April 30, 2013, to the extent Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed 1.00% and 1.30% of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio's Institutional Shares and Open Shares, respectively, and from May 1, 2013 through April 30, 2022, to the extent Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed 1.10% and 1.40% of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio's Institutional Shares and Open Shares, respectively. All limitations on Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses are exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest on borrowings, fees and expenses of "Acquired Funds" and extraordinary expenses, and excluding shareholder redemption fees or other transaction fees. This agreement can only be amended by agreement of the Fund, upon approval by the Board, and the Investment Manager to lower the net amount shown and will terminate automatically in the event of termination of the Investment Management Agreement between the Investment Manager and the Fund, on behalf of the Portfolio.