Lao
noun
a member of a people of Laos and northern Thailand.
Lao
American
[lou]
/ laʊ /
noun
Laos,
plural
Lao
plural
-
a member of a people of Laos and northern Thailand.
-
the Tai language of the Lao.
adjective
LAO
1
British
abbreviation
Lao
2
British
/ laʊ /
adjective
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of Lao
First recorded in 1880–85; from Lao Láo, a self-designation
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Chef Ann Ahmed’s Lao restaurant is bright and airy, filled with greenery and anchored by a sprawling patio that feels like a natural extension of the dining room.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished,” Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu wrote.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026
The ruling Lao People's Revolutionary Party has held power for more than 50 years.
From Barron's ● Feb. 20, 2026
On Monday, Lao media reported that they had found the body of a woman, named Pany Her.
From BBC ● Dec. 22, 2025
Her indignation came to her in English, even as she recalled a Chinese saying, Lao xu cbeng nu — constant shame becomes anger.
From "Typical American" by Gish Jen
The LAO told MarketWatch that it had not yet estimated the potential benefits from SpaceX’s plans.
From MarketWatch ● May 19, 2026
The LAO reported that the California economy has been in a gradual slowdown over the last two years, with about 25% more unemployed workers overall and declining trends in consumer spending.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 6, 2025
The LAO is forecasting a deficit of about $20 billion in 2026-27 and an even higher shortfall by 2028-29 of about $30 billion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 20, 2024
Corporate tax collections are down 15% from last year, the fourth largest drop in the past 40 years, according to the LAO.
From Seattle Times ● May 9, 2024
Page 79: LAS is suspected to be a typo for LAO, as this name occurs only once.
From The Heroic Enthusiasts (Gli Eroici Furori) Part the Second An Ethical Poem by Bruno, Giordano
Australian victim Bianca Jones' parents also criticised the Laos authorities for not pursuing harsher charges.
From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026
The Laos embassy in Canberra has been contacted for comment.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
Brother of Laos methanol victim says £135 fines 'an absolute joke'
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
Canberra summoned the Laos ambassador and dispatched an envoy to Laos to convey the government's objections and urge justice for the two Australian women who died, the government said in a statement.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
An even more drastic linguistic upheaval must have swept over tropical Southeast Asia to the south of China—in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Peninsular Malaysia.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
