[ ˌθɛrə'vα:də ]
(also ~ Buddhism )
■ noun the more conservative of the two major traditions of Buddhism (the other being Mahayana), practised mainly in Sri Lanka, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos.
Origin
from Pali theravāda , lit. 'doctrine of the elders', from thera 'elder, old' + vāda 'speech, doctrine'.