Lao
/laʊ/
noun
Origin
Lao
ລາວ (Lao) — Lao people
Overview
Meaning Now
- A member of the dominant ethnic group of Laos and northeastern Thailand.
- The Tai language spoken by the Lao people.
Language path
Tai-Kadai → Lao
Earliest form
Lao
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The term likely originates from an autonym used by the Tai-speaking peoples of the Mekong river valley. It gained broader recognition with the unification of the region under the Lan Xang kingdom, established in the 14th century.
Evolution
- Proto-Tai
*law
“Lao people”
- Old Lao
Lao
“Ethnic group/region”
Connections
Word parts
Lao
root
Lao
Related across languages
Thai
Lao (referring to the people or the Isan dialect)
Explore next
Related to Lao
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.