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Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading Lazard U.S. Equity Concentrated Portfolio
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Portfolio seeks long-term 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, a series of The Lazard Funds, Inc. (the “Fund”).

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 2014-04-30
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 116% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 116.00%
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 equity securities, principally common stocks, of US companies of any market capitalization. The Portfolio has a concentrated portfolio of investments, typically investing in 15 to 35 companies with market capitalizations generally greater than $350 million. The Portfolio seeks to outperform broad-based securities market indices, such as the S&P 500® Index, the Russell 1000® Index and the Russell 3000® Index. The Investment Manager’s philosophy employed for the Portfolio is based on value creation through its process of bottom-up stock selection, and the Investment Manager implements a disciplined portfolio construction process. The Investment Manager’s fundamental research seeks to identify investments typically featuring robust organic cash flow, balance sheet strength and operational flexibility.


Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of US companies. The Portfolio may invest up to 10% of its total assets in securities of non-US companies that trade in US markets.


The Portfolio is classified as “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), 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.

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

The value of your investment in the Portfolio will fluctuate, which means you could lose money.


Market Risk. Market risks, including political, regulatory, market and economic developments, and developments that impact specific economic sectors, industries or segments of the market, can affect the value of the Portfolio’s investments. In addition, turbulence in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and/or fixed income markets may negatively affect many issuers, which could adversely affect the Portfolio.


Issuer Risk. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons which directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services, as well as the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer and the value of its assets.


Value Investing Risk. The Portfolio invests in stocks believed by the Investment Manager to be undervalued, but that may not realize their perceived value for extended periods of time or may never realize their perceived value. The stocks in which the Portfolio invests may respond differently to market and other developments than other types of stocks.


Small and Mid Cap Companies Risk. Small and mid cap companies carry additional risks because their earnings tend to be less predictable, their share prices more volatile and their securities less liquid than larger, more established companies. The shares of small and mid cap companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger companies, which can have an adverse effect on the pricing of these securities and on the ability to sell these securities when the Investment Manager deems it appropriate.


Larger Cap Companies Risk. The securities of large market cap companies may underperform other segments of the market because such companies may be less responsive to competitive challenges and opportunities and may be unable to attain high growth rates during periods of economic expansion.


Non-US Securities Risk. The Portfolio’s performance will be influenced by political, social and economic factors affecting the non-US countries and companies in which the Portfolio invests.


Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Portfolio may invest in a smaller number of issuers than other, more diversified investment portfolios, the Portfolio’s net asset value (“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.


High Portfolio Turnover Risk. 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 net asset value ("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 Year-by-Year Total Returns for Institutional Shares As of 12/31
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

As of May 31, 2012, the Portfolio changed its name from Lazard US Equity Value Portfolio to Lazard US Equity Concentrated Portfolio, adopted the Portfolio’s current investment strategies and compares its performance to the S&P 500 Index. Prior to May 31, 2012, the Portfolio was classified as a “diversified” fund under the 1940 Act.


The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in Lazard US Equity Concentrated Portfolio by showing the Portfolio’s year-by-year performance and its average annual performance (prior to the change in investment strategy described above) compared to that of broad measures of market performance. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares has varied from year to year. Updated performance information is available at www.LazardNet.com or by calling (800) 823-6300. The Portfolio’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in Lazard US Equity Concentrated Portfolio by showing the Portfolio's year-by-year performance and its average annual performance (prior to the change in investment strategy described above) compared to that of broad measures of market performance.
Performance Additional Market Index [Text] rr_PerformanceAdditionalMarketIndex The Russell 1000 Value/S&P 500 Linked Index shown in the table is an unmanaged index created by the Investment Manager, which links the performance of the Russell 1000 Value Index for all periods through May 30, 2012 (when the Portfolio's investment strategy changed) and the S&P 500 Index for all periods thereafter.
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 (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Best Quarter:
6/30/09 19.10%

Worst Quarter:
12/31/08 -21.54%

Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 19.10%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (21.54%)
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2012)
Performance Table Market Index Changed rr_PerformanceTableMarketIndexChanged In future periods the Portfolio will no longer compare its performance to that of the Russell 1000 Value Index.
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred The after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

After-tax returns for the Open Shares vary from those of Institutional Shares. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. The Russell 1000 Value/S&P 500 Linked Index shown in the table is an unmanaged index created by the Investment Manager, which links the performance of the Russell 1000 Value Index for all periods through May 30, 2012 (when the Portfolio’s investment strategy changed) and the S&P 500 Index for all periods thereafter. In future periods the Portfolio will no longer compare its performance to that of the Russell 1000 Value Index.

S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 16.00%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 1.66%
Life of Portfolio rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 4.27%
Russell 1000 Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 17.51%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.59%
Life of Portfolio rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.38%
Russell 1000 Value/S&P 500 Linked Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 13.90%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (0.03%)
Life of Portfolio rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 2.94%
Open Shares
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of Amount Redeemed) rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption (1.00%)
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.70%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 3.89%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 4.84%
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (3.59%) [1]
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.25% [1]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 127
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 428
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 752
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,667
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 16.51%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.22%
Life of Portfolio rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.54%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Sep. 30, 2005
Institutional Shares
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of Amount Redeemed) rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption (1.00%)
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.70%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.58%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.28%
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.33%) [1]
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.95% [1]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 97
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 335
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 592
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,327
Annual Return 2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 25.23%
Annual Return 2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 1.65%
Annual Return 2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (36.18%)
Annual Return 2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 24.81%
Annual Return 2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 12.00%
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 (1.47%)
Annual Return 2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 16.83%
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 16.83%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.53%
Life of Portfolio rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.83%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Sep. 30, 2005
Institutional Shares | After Taxes on Distributions
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 16.67%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.30%
Life of Portfolio rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.14%
Institutional Shares | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Portfolio Shares
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 11.15%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.41%
Life of Portfolio rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.00%
[1] Reflects a contractual agreement by Lazard Asset Management LLC (the "Investment Manager") to waive its fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Portfolio through April 30, 2014 to the extent Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed .95% and 1.25% of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio's Institutional Shares and Open Shares, respectively, and from May 1, 2014 through April 30, 2023, 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 Fund's Board of Directors (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.