lama

noun

la·​ma ˈlä-mə How to pronounce lama (audio)
plural lamas
: a Tibetan Buddhist monk

Examples of lama in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Nowadays, the landlocked nation sandwiched between Russia and China is overwhelmingly Buddhist, with traditional links to Tibet’s leading lamas, including the Dalai Lama. Nicole Winfield and Saruul Enkhbold, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Sep. 2023 Darkness retreats date back centuries to the monks and lamas in Tibet to the ancient Egyptians. Christopher Kuhagen, Journal Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2023 The trip continues south to Torres del Paine National Park, a five-hour drive from Punta Arenas through scrubby steppe patrolled by the region’s lama-like guanacos and Andean condors. Alex Postman, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Apr. 2022 Even the animals feel like something out of a fairytale—the camel-lama-deer hybrid called the guanaco, the bunny-squirrel-cat mix called the vizcacha, and the pumas, who, as the hotel will explain, are always watching. Teddy Minford, Vogue, 9 Dec. 2022 Matthiessen speaks with a lama who claims to see snow leopards frequently. Yael Martínez, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2022 In the Madison writer's new novel, twin brothers who don't get along, but have a psychic bond, travel across Mongolia seeking the new incarnation of a great lama. Jim Higgins, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 18 May 2022 The process of identifying a lama is based on spiritual signs and visions. BostonGlobe.com, 1 Aug. 2021 The result is an effective, streamlined version that quickly places us in the hands of Gorampa Sonam Sengge, an influential lama of the Sakya school who died in 1489. Lee Lawrence, WSJ, 12 May 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lama.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Tibetan blama

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lama was in 1841

Dictionary Entries Near lama

Cite this Entry

“Lama.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lama. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

lama

noun
la·​ma ˈläm-ə How to pronounce lama (audio)
: a Lamaist monk

More from Merriam-Webster on lama

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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