Lama and Llama Are Entirely Different Words
A lama is a Tibetan Buddhist teacher. The South American animal is spelled with two Ls for a reason.
A lama is a spiritual teacher in Tibetan Buddhism. The word is Tibetan, meaning superior or highest, and translates the Sanskrit *guru*. It has nothing to do with the *llama*, whose double L comes from Spanish, taken from Quechua — two unrelated words separated in English by a single letter. The *Dalai Lama* combines it with a Mongolian word meaning ocean, so the title means something like ocean of wisdom.
- A Buddhist teacher. *A Tibetan lama.*
- Dalai Lama. *The Dalai Lama.*
- Llama — the animal. *A llama.*
- Guru — the Sanskrit equivalent. *A guru.*
- Tibetan — *bla-ma*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | lama | A lama. |
| Plural | lamas | Lamas. |
| Title | Dalai Lama | The Dalai Lama. |
| Different word | llama | A llama. |
| Tibetan | bla-ma | Superior one. |
- The lama taught at the monastery.Religion.
- Llama has two Ls.Spelling.
- Dalai means ocean.Title.
Words separated by one letter
- Lama and llama — Tibetan and Quechua
- Desert and dessert — abandoning and a sweet course
- Principal and principle — a person and a rule
- Stationary and stationery — standing still and writing paper
- Each pair has entirely separate origins
Tibetan *bla-ma*, superior one, translating Sanskrit *guru*.
Is a lama related to a llama?
No. The teacher is a Tibetan word meaning superior. The animal comes from Quechua through Spanish and is spelled with two Ls.
What does Dalai Lama mean?
Ocean teacher, combining a Mongolian word meaning ocean with the Tibetan word for a spiritual master.