Dalai Lama
/ˈdɑː.laɪ ˈlɑː.mə/noun
A title traditionally used for the spiritual leader of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism.
Did you know?The title was created in 1578 when the Mongol ruler Altan Khan bestowed it on Sonam Gyatso, whose Tibetan name already contained the element meaning “ocean.”
Etymological Timeline
8th–13th Century
Tibetan
bla-ma
“A spiritual teacher or superior master; the source of the English word “lama”.”
13th–14th Century
Mongolian
dalai
“Ocean or sea; a Mongolian rendering of the Tibetan honorific element rgya-mtsho, “ocean.””
1578
Mongolian/Tibetan
Dalai Lama
“Title bestowed by Altan Khan on Sonam Gyatso, literally combining “ocean” with “teacher.””
17th Century
Tibetan/Mongolian
Dalai Lama
“A hereditary-style religious title retrospectively applied to earlier incarnations of the lineage.”
19th Century
English
Dalai Lama
“An English title for the senior spiritual leader of the Gelug tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.”
Modern English
English
Dalai Lama
“A globally recognized title associated especially with Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama.”
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