Tibetan

American  

[ti-bet-n] / tɪˈbɛt n /

Or Thibetan

adjective

1. of or relating to Tibet, its inhabitants, or their language.

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noun

1. a member of the people native to or inhabiting Tibet.

2. the Sino-Tibetan language of Tibet, especially in its standard literary form.

Tibetan British  

/ tɪˈbɛtən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Tibet, its people, or their language

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Tibet

2. the language of Tibet, belonging to the Sino-Tibetan family

Etymology

Origin of Tibetan

First recorded in 1740–50; Tibet + -an

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Tibetan

“I want you to continue the struggle for Tibetan independence, because the lack of independence is the root of all our problems,” he was quoted as saying.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026

When the BBC visited a monastery in July last year that had once been at heart of Tibetan resistance, monks spoke of living under fear and intimidation.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026

Some 150 miles from the Tibetan border, in Dharamshala, India, the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile stand as a vision of hope and inspiration to the rest of the world.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026

Gere has been involved in humanitarian work for decades and has helped fund projects to support refugees, public health, education and emergency relief as well as culture, especially in Tibetan communities.

From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026

There are great mesas here, twice as high as the Tibetan plateau, an immense rift valley, possibly giant volcanoes and a mountain as high as Everest.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan