Dalai Lama

noun

Da·​lai La·​ma ˌdä-lī-ˈlä-mə How to pronounce Dalai Lama (audio)
ˌdä-lā-
ˌda-
: the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism

Examples of Dalai Lama in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Dalai Lama calls for peace Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Tuesday posted an appeal for an end to war in the Middle East. Npr Staff, NPR, 31 Mar. 2026 The Historic Boone Tavern Hotel & Restaurant of Berea College has since hosted Presidents, the Dalai Lama, and writers like Robert Frost and Maya Angelou. Chelsea Brasted, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026 In July 2025, Czech President Petr Pavel met with the Dalai Lama. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026 The 90-year-old Dalai Lama occasionally teaches there; the monastery, practicing centuries-old traditions, was built after His Holiness received the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize for advocating nonviolent solutions to the Tibet-China conflict. Norma Meyer, Oc Register, 4 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for Dalai Lama

Word History

Etymology

Mongolian dalai ocean

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Dalai Lama was in 1698

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Cite this Entry

“Dalai Lama.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Dalai%20Lama. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.

Biographical Definition

Dalai Lama

biographical name

Da·​lai La·​ma ˈdä-ˌlī-ˈlä-mə How to pronounce Dalai Lama (audio)
1935–     Tenzin Gyatso Tibetan religious and political leader

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