Shangri-la

[ shang-gruh-lah, shang-gruh-lah ]

/ ˈʃæŋ grəˌlɑ, ˌʃæŋ grəˈlɑ /

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See synonyms for Shangri-la on Thesaurus.com

noun

an imaginary paradise on earth, especially a remote and exotic utopia.

a faraway haven or hideaway of idyllic beauty and tranquility: Last summer we rented a cottage on a little lake—our perfect Shangri-la.

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Origin of Shangri-la

After the fictional Tibetan land of eternal youth in the novel The Lost Horizon (1933) by James Hilton

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use Shangri-la in a sentence

They were called La Red Avispa (The Wasp Network) and claim to have successfully foiled a number of threats against the island.
Of Cuban Spies, a Baby, and a Filmmaker: The Strange Tale of the Cuban Five|Nina Strochlic|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After a successful summer working alongside R, he officially offered her the reigns of La Domaine.
Dungeons and Genital Clamps: Inside a Legendary BDSM Chateau|Ian Frisch|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After a stint with a replacement Head Mistress went sour, R seriously considered shutting down La Domaine for good.
Dungeons and Genital Clamps: Inside a Legendary BDSM Chateau|Ian Frisch|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Although a home setting, La Domaine operates under the same regulations as other professional BDSM establishments.
Dungeons and Genital Clamps: Inside a Legendary BDSM Chateau|Ian Frisch|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST

In 21 years of operation, La Domaine has served over 6,000 clients from over 25 different countries and nearly 500 couples.
Dungeons and Genital Clamps: Inside a Legendary BDSM Chateau|Ian Frisch|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Vain also was the valour and ability he showed in the campaign against the Royalists in La Vende.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
Edmund de la Pole, earl of Suffolk, on account of his near relationship to the house of York, beheaded.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
Commenons, comme l'on dict, de chez nous, de la maison et habitation; puis nous sortirons dehors.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
"The authority of Mademoiselle de La Vauvraye," was the unanswerable rejoinder.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
Ajoutez cecy, s'il vous plaist, la grande difficult qu'il y a de tirer d'eux les mots mesmes qu'ils ont.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various

British Dictionary definitions for Shangri-la

Shangri-la

/ (ˌʃæŋɡrɪˈlɑː) /

noun

a remote or imaginary utopia

Word Origin for Shangri-la

C20: from the name of an imaginary valley in the Himalayas, from Lost Horizon (1933), a novel by James Hilton

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for Shangri-la

Shangri-La

A fictional land of peace and perpetual youth; the setting for the 1933 novel Lost Horizon by the English author James Hilton, but probably best known from the movie versions. Shangri-La is supposedly in the mountains of Tibet.

notes for Shangri-La

A “Shangri-La,” by extension, is an ideal refuge from the troubles of the world.