Dzong
/dzɔːŋ/noun
A fortified Buddhist monastery and administrative center, especially in Bhutan and Tibet.
Did you know?Bhutan’s dzongs traditionally served simultaneously as monasteries, government offices, courts, and defensive strongholds, making them rare living hybrids of sacred and political power.
Etymological Timeline
Old Tibetan
Tibetan
rdzong
“A fortress or fortified stronghold”
Classical Tibetan
Tibetan
rdzong
“A fortified place, often associated with regional administration”
18th–19th Century
Tibetan/Bhutanese
dzong
“A major fortified monastery and governmental center”
20th Century
English
dzong
“A Bhutanese or Tibetan fortress-monastery”
Modern English
English
dzong
“A fortified Buddhist monastery and administrative center”