Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Shangri-La” come from?

Shangri-La (English) comes from Tibetan ལ, from Maharastri Prakrit 𑀅, from Sanskrit च, from Proto-Indo-Iranian -ča, from Proto-Indo-European -kʷe — and; Forms distributives from interrogatives.

Shangri-La (English): A place of complete bliss, delight, and peace,...

Definitions

  1. A place of complete bliss, delight, and peace,...

Ancestry of “Shangri-La”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Tibetanལhillside, mountain pass; Marks oblique locatives;...
2Maharastri Prakrit𑀅and; also, moreover
3Sanskritचand, both, also, moreover, as well as
4Proto-Indo-Iranian-čaand
5Proto-Indo-European-kʷeand; Forms distributives from interrogatives

Words derived from “Shangri-La”

  • 香格里拉
  • Ŝangrilao
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -kʷe →