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

China also has closed the northern route up Everest, on the Tibetan side, to foreign climbers this season, which is likely to lead to an increase in the crowd taking the southern route.

From BBC • May 13, 2026

Tristan’s passage between worlds is anything but serene, and dancers, subtly choreographed by Annie-B Parson, accompany him as he hovers in the tunnel that suggests the bardo of Tibetan Buddhism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

Expanding seismic networks, especially in remote regions like the Tibetan Plateau north of the Himalayas, would probably reveal more mantle quakes.

From Science Daily • Feb. 20, 2026

He feared the Tibetan mastiff's behaviour issues were putting his children at risk and, after several attempts to rehabilitate her, decided to use Save A Paw.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

I wasn’t up for watching Buzz’s demo reel or hearing about the friendly-faced Buddha she needed for the Tibetan prayer room she was designing.

From "Liar, Liar" by Gary Paulsen