Let K ( r ) be the complete elliptic integral of the first kind. We present an accurate rational lower approximation for K ( r ) . More precisely, we establish the inequality 2 π K ( r ) > 5 ( r ′ ) 2 + 126 r ′ + 61 61 ( r ′ ) 2 + 110 r ′ + 21 for r ∈ ( 0 , 1 ) , where r ′ = 1 − r 2 . The lower bound is sharp.