Aztec
/ˈæz.tɛk/noun
A member of the Nahua people who ruled the Mexica Empire, or relating to that civilization.
Did you know?“Aztec” is an English form built from Spanish Azteca, ultimately tied to Aztlan, the legendary ancestral homeland of the Mexica, making the name itself a map of origin-story and identity.
Etymological Timeline
Legendary prehistory
Nahuatl
Aztlān
“The mythical place of origin of the Mexica/Nahua peoples”
16th Century
Spanish
azteca
“A person from Aztlán; later, especially the Mexica people of central Mexico”
18th-19th Century
English
Aztec
“Adopted from Spanish to refer to the Mexica civilization and language”
Modern English
English
Aztec
“A member of the Mexica people, or anything relating to their civilization”