Tibetan
/tɪˈbɛtən/noun
Relating to Tibet, its people, culture, language, or religion.
Did you know?Tibetans traditionally call their homeland Bod, while “Tibet” is an exonym whose ultimate origin remains disputed, possibly involving Arabic, Persian, and Chinese forms.
Etymological Timeline
Early historical period
Tibetan
Bod
“The Tibetan name for Tibet or the Tibetan cultural region; its deeper etymology is uncertain.”
7th–9th Century
Chinese
吐蕃 (Tǔbō/Tǔfān)
“A Chinese designation for the Tibetan empire and its people.”
9th–13th Century
Arabic
Tubbat
“A form used by Arabic geographers for Tibet, probably transmitted through Central Asian languages.”
Medieval period
Persian
Tibbat/Tibat
“Persian forms referring to Tibet, which helped transmit the name westward.”
13th Century
Old French/European Latin
Tibet
“European geographical forms referring to the Himalayan plateau and its kingdom.”
16th–17th Century
English
Tibet
“The established English name for the region.”
Modern English
English
Tibetan
“The adjective and noun formed from Tibet, referring to the region, its people, language, or culture.”