Dalai Lama

noun

Da·​lai La·​ma ˌdä-lī-ˈlä-mə How to pronounce Dalai Lama (audio)
ˌdä-lā-
ˌda-
: the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism

Examples of Dalai Lama in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In July 2025, Czech President Petr Pavel met with the Dalai Lama. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026 The 90-year-old Dalai Lama occasionally teaches there; the monastery, practicing centuries-old traditions, was built after His Holiness received the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize for advocating nonviolent solutions to the Tibet-China conflict. Norma Meyer, Oc Register, 4 Feb. 2026 His competition includes a Supreme Court justice (Ketanji Brown Jackson), the Dalai Lama and a member of Milli Vanilli, so that’s a wild one. Scott Mervis, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026 Competing against her in the same category is the Dalai Lama, another first-time nominee. Saba Hamedy, NBC news, 1 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for Dalai Lama

Word History

Etymology

Mongolian dalai ocean

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Dalai Lama was in 1698

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dalai Lama.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Dalai%20Lama. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

Biographical Definition

Dalai Lama

biographical name

Da·​lai La·​ma ˈdä-ˌlī-ˈlä-mə How to pronounce Dalai Lama (audio)
1935–     Tenzin Gyatso Tibetan religious and political leader

More from Merriam-Webster on Dalai Lama

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster