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Lazard US Short Duration Fixed Income Portfolio  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading Lazard US Short Duration Fixed Income Portfolio
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Portfolio seeks total return and preservation of capital.
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. Investors transacting in Institutional shares through a financial intermediary acting as a broker in an agency capacity may be required to pay a commission directly to the broker.
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 May 01, 2018
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 157% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 157.00%
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 hold or 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 waiver and expense reimbursement arrangement in year one only. 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

Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its assets in fixed-income securities of US issuers, including US government securities, corporate securities, mortgage-related and asset-backed securities, convertible securities, municipal securities, structured products, preferred stocks and inflation-indexed-securities. These securities may have any type of interest rate payment terms, including fixed rate, adjustable rate or zero coupon features. Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio’s investment portfolio can be expected to have an average effective duration of three years or less. Duration is an estimate of the sensitivity of the price (the value of principal) of a fixed-income security to a change in interest rates. Generally, the longer the duration, the higher the expected volatility. For example, the market price of a fixed-income security with a duration of three years would be expected to decline 3% if interest rates rose 1%. Conversely, the market price of the same security would be expected to increase 3% if interest rates fell 1%.


The Portfolio invests primarily in securities that are rated investment grade by one or more nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (“NRSROs”) (or, if unrated, determined by the Investment Manager to be of comparable quality).


Securities are evaluated based on their fundamental and structural characteristics. Valuation analysis is tailored to the specific asset class, but may include credit research and analysis of features such as prepayment or call options, maturity, duration and coupon.


The Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its assets in other securities which need not be fixed-income securities of US issuers.
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 or factors unrelated to the issuer’s value, such as investor perception.


Fixed-Income and Debt Securities Risk. The market value of a debt security may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. The debt securities market can be susceptible to increases in volatility and decreases in liquidity. Liquidity can decline unpredictably in response to overall economic conditions or credit tightening.


Prices of bonds and other debt securities tend to move inversely with changes in interest rates. Interest rate risk is usually greater for fixed-income securities with longer maturities or durations. A rise in interest rates (or the expectation of a rise in interest rates) may result in periods of volatility, decreased liquidity and increased redemptions, and, as a result, the Portfolio may have to liquidate portfolio securities at disadvantageous prices. Risks associated with rising interest rates are heightened given that interest rates in the US and other countries are at or near historic lows.


The Portfolio’s investments in lower-rated, higher-yielding securities (“junk bonds”) 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 prices of non-investment grade securities, unlike investment grade debt securities, may fluctuate unpredictably and not necessarily inversely with changes in interest rates. The market for these securities may be less liquid and therefore these securities may be harder to value or sell at an acceptable price, especially during times of market volatility or decline.


Adjustable rate securities provide the Portfolio with a certain degree of protection against rises in interest rates, although such securities will participate in any declines in interest rates as well. Certain adjustable rate securities, such as those with interest rates that fluctuate directly or indirectly based on multiples of a stated index, are designed to be highly sensitive to changes in interest rates and can subject the holders thereof to extreme reductions of yield and possibly loss of principal. Certain fixed-income securities may be issued at a discount from their face value (such as zero coupon securities) or purchased at a price less than their stated face amount or at a price less than their issue price plus the portion of “original issue discount” previously accrued thereon, i.e., purchased at a “market discount.” The amount of original issue discount and/or market discount on certain obligations may be significant, and accretion of market discount together with original issue discount will cause the Portfolio to realize income prior to the receipt of cash payments with respect to these securities.


Mortgage-Related and Asset-Backed Securities Risk. Mortgage-related securities are complex instruments, subject to both credit and prepayment risk, and may be more volatile and less liquid, and more difficult to price accurately, than more traditional debt securities. Mortgage-related securities generally are subject to credit risks associated with the performance of the underlying mortgage properties. Prepayment risk can lead to fluctuations in value of the mortgage-related security which may be pronounced. As with other interest-bearing securities, the prices of certain mortgage-related securities are inversely affected by changes in interest rates. However, although the value of a mortgage-related security may decline when interest rates rise, the converse is not necessarily true, since during periods of declining interest rates the mortgages underlying the security are more likely to be prepaid.


The risks of asset-backed securities are similar to those of mortgage-related securities. However, asset-backed securities present certain risks that are not presented by mortgage-related securities. Primarily, these securities may provide the Portfolio with a less effective security interest in the related collateral than do mortgage-related securities.


Structured Products Risk. Structured notes and other structured products are privately negotiated debt instruments where the principal and/or interest is determined by reference to a specified asset, market or rate, or the differential performance of two assets or markets. Structured products can have risks of both fixed-income securities and derivatives transactions. Derivatives transactions may increase volatility or reduce returns, perhaps substantially, particularly since most derivatives have a leverage component that provides investment exposure in excess of the amount invested, and they are subject to many of the risks of, and can be highly sensitive to changes in the value of, the related reference assets, markets or rates. As such, a small investment could have a potentially large impact on the Portfolio’s performance. Use of derivatives transactions may cause the Portfolio to experience losses greater than if the Portfolio had not engaged in such transactions.


Preferred Securities Risk. There are various risks associated with investing in preferred securities. In addition, unlike common stock, participation in the growth of an issuer may be limited.


 

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Credit risk is the risk that a security held by the Portfolio will decline in price or the issuer of the security will fail to make dividend, interest or principal payments when due because the issuer experiences a decline in its financial status.

 

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Interest rate risk is the risk that securities will decline in value because of changes in market interest rates. When market interest rates rise, the market value of such securities generally will fall.

 

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Preferred securities may include provisions that permit the issuer, at its discretion, to defer or omit distributions for a stated period without any adverse consequences to the issuer.

 

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Preferred securities are generally subordinated to bonds and other debt instruments in an issuer’s capital structure in terms of having priority to corporate income, claims to corporate assets and liquidation payments, and therefore will be subject to greater credit risk than more senior debt instruments.

 

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During periods of declining interest rates, an issuer may be able to exercise an option to call, or redeem its issue at par earlier than the scheduled maturity. If this occurs during a time of lower or declining interest rates, the Portfolio may have to reinvest the proceeds in lower yielding securities (and the Portfolio may not benefit from any increase in the value of its portfolio holdings as a result of declining interest rates).

 

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Certain preferred securities may be substantially less liquid than many other securities, such as common stocks or US Government securities. Illiquid securities involve the risk that the securities will not be able to be sold at the time desired by the Portfolio or at prices approximating the value at which the Portfolio is carrying the securities on its books.


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-US securities carry special risks, such as 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 US dollars may experience decline in value, in US dollar terms, due solely to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. 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.


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 transaction costs and an increase in taxable capital gains distributions to the Portfolio’s shareholders, which will reduce returns to shareholders.


Government Securities Risk. Not all obligations of the US government, its agencies and instrumentalities are backed by the full faith and credit of the US Treasury. Some obligations are backed only by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality, and in some cases there may be some risk of default by the issuer. Any guarantee by the US government or its agencies or instrumentalities of a security held by the Portfolio does not apply to the market value of such security or to shares of the Portfolio itself. A security backed by the US Treasury or the full faith and credit of the United States is guaranteed only as to the timely payment of interest and principal when held to maturity.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney The value of your investment in the Portfolio will fluctuate, which means you could lose money.
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

The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in Lazard US Short Duration Fixed Income Portfolio by showing the Portfolio’s year-by-year performance and its average annual performance compared to that of a broad measure 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 Short Duration Fixed Income Portfolio by showing the Portfolio’s year-by-year performance and its average annual performance compared to that of a broad measure of market performance.
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:
6/30/11  1.85%
 
Worst Quarter:
6/30/13  -2.24%

 
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2011
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 1.85%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2013
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (2.24%)
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2016)
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 One Class of after Tax Shown [Text] rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown After-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Shares. After-tax returns of the Portfolio’s other share classes will vary.
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

After-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Shares. After-tax returns of the Portfolio’s other share classes will vary. 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. Returns shown below for the Portfolio’s R6 Shares (which were not operational as of December 31, 2016) reflect the performance of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares. R6 Shares would have had substantially similar returns as Institutional Shares because the share classes are invested in the same portfolio of securities, and the returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses.


The Portfolio changed its investment strategy on June 28, 2013. Prior to that that date, the Portfolio invested in US municipal securities and the performance prior to June 28, 2013 reflects that investment strategy.
Lazard US Short Duration Fixed Income Portfolio | Bank of America Merrill Lynch 1-3 Year US Treasury Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.88%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.57%
Life of Portfolio rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 0.74%
Lazard US Short Duration Fixed Income Portfolio | Institutional Shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.25%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.25%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.50%
Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets 0.10% [1]
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.40% [1]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 41
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 150
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 270
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 619
Annual Return 2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 2.54%
Annual Return 2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 (1.39%)
Annual Return 2014 rr_AnnualReturn2014 0.49%
Annual Return 2015 rr_AnnualReturn2015 0.05%
Annual Return 2016 rr_AnnualReturn2016 1.00%
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 1.00%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.53%
Life of Portfolio rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 1.21%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Feb. 28, 2011
Lazard US Short Duration Fixed Income Portfolio | Institutional Shares | After Taxes on Distributions  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.60%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.13%
Life of Portfolio rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 0.75%
Lazard US Short Duration Fixed Income Portfolio | Institutional Shares | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.56%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.24%
Life of Portfolio rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 0.76%
Lazard US Short Duration Fixed Income Portfolio | Open Shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.25%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 30.72%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 31.22%
Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets 30.52% [1]
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.70% [1]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 72
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 4,988
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 7,665
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 10,163
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.70%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.47%
Life of Portfolio rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 1.11%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Feb. 28, 2011
Lazard US Short Duration Fixed Income Portfolio | R6 Shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.25%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.25% [2]
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.50%
Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets 0.15% [1]
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.35% [1]
Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text] rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates “Other Expenses” are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year, using “Other Expenses” for Institutional Shares from the last fiscal year.
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 36
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 145
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 265
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 614
Performance One Year or Less [Text] rr_PerformanceOneYearOrLess Returns shown below for the Portfolio’s R6 Shares (which were not operational as of December 31, 2016) reflect the performance of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares.
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 1.00%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.53%
Life of Portfolio rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 1.21%
[1] Reflects a contractual agreement by the Investment Manager to waive its fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Portfolio until May 1, 2018, to the extent Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed .40%, .70% and .35% of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio's Institutional Shares, Open Shares and R6 Shares, respectively, exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest on borrowings, fees and expenses of "Acquired Funds" and extraordinary expenses. 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 Management Agreement between the Investment Manager and the Fund, on behalf of the Portfolio.
[2] "Other Expenses" are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year, using "Other Expenses" for Institutional Shares from the last fiscal year.