Lhamo
/ˈlɑː.moʊ/noun
A Tibetan theatrical performance tradition, or a Tibetan goddess or female deity.
Did you know?Tibetan opera is traditionally called Ache Lhamo, meaning “Sister Goddess,” and its origin is associated with the 14th-century Buddhist saint Thangtong Gyalpo.
Etymological Timeline
Old Tibetan
Tibetan
lha
“God, deity, or divine being”
Classical Tibetan
Tibetan
lha-mo
“Goddess; female deity, with mo marking the feminine form”
14th Century
Tibetan
Ache Lhamo
“Sister Goddess; the traditional name for Tibetan opera”
17th–18th Centuries
Tibetan
lha-mo
“A goddess or divine female figure in Tibetan religious and theatrical contexts”
20th Century
English
lhamo
“A Tibetan opera or a Tibetan goddess, used as a loanword”