Laotian

American  

[ley-oh-shuhn, lou-shuhn] / leɪˈoʊ ʃən, ˈlaʊ ʃən /

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Laos.

2. Lao.

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adjective

1. of or relating to Laos, its people, or their language.

Laotian British  

/ laʊ, ˈlaʊʃɪən /

noun

1. a member of a Buddhist people of Laos and NE Thailand, related to the Thais

2. the language of this people, closely related to Thai

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adjective

1. of or relating to this people or their language or to Laos

Other Word Forms

• anti-Laotian adjective
• pro-Laotian adjective

Etymology

Origin of Laotian

< French laotien; see Laos, -ian

Example Sentences

About two weeks after the candidate list without Valy's name was released, prominent Laotian activist Joseph Akaravong publicly endorsed her anyway, sharing her CV to his nearly 700,000 Facebook followers.

From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026

It’s worth noting that last year, the United States deported several hundred Laotian refugees back to their homeland, many of whom arrived here as toddlers after the Vietnam War.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 2026

There were 118 tourists and 29 locals, including four crew, on board the boat when it struck underwater rocks, according to an official report carried by the Laotian Times.

From BBC • Dec. 22, 2025

Indeed, the number of Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Laotian people killed by land mines and unexploded ordnance just since the war ended exceeds the some 58,000 American personnel who died during the war itself.

From Slate • Apr. 30, 2025

He wasn’t sure just what it was, but it looked like they meant to mount a huge attack on Khe Sanh, the American base next to the Laotian border.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge