plural Lao or Laos ˈlau̇z How to pronounce Lao (audio)
1
: a member of a Buddhist people living in Laos and adjacent parts of northeastern Thailand
2
: the Tai language of the Lao people
Lao adjective

Examples of Lao in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Hon Lao Island is about 10 miles off the coast of Vietnam and roughly 375 miles northeast of Ho Chi Minh City. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2025 Father and son live under the same roof again, as Lao Wei arrives in Beijing to have the bowl evaluated by experts, in the hopes of making a windfall. Sara Merican, Deadline, 25 Apr. 2025 Big retailers have picked up brands popularized by smaller Chinese stores, such as Kikkoman, Lee Kum Kee, and the pantry favorite Lao Gan Ma chili crisp. Karen Yuan, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2025 Then a banker drops dead after a banquet given by the owner of the artifact, a young student is killed, and Dee and Lao become concerned that the deaths are part of a bigger conspiracy. Yvonne Zipp, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Lao

Word History

First Known Use

1808, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Lao was in 1808

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Cite this Entry

“Lao.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Lao. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

Lao

noun
plural Lao or Laos
1
: a member of a people living in Laos and northeastern Thailand
2
: the language of the Lao people which is closely related to Thai
Lao adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on Lao

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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