Cihuacoatl
/siwaˈkoːaːtɬ/noun
A major female deity and sacred title in Aztec religion and government, often translated as “Serpent Woman.”
Did you know?Cihuacoatl was associated with childbirth, fertility, warfare, and the earth, while the Cihuacoatl office served as the highest-ranking administrator beneath the tlatoani.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian Nahuatl
Nahuatl
cihuātl
“Woman, female, or wife”
Pre-Columbian Nahuatl
Nahuatl
cōātl
“Snake or serpent; the word could also refer to a twin”
Pre-Columbian Nahuatl
Nahuatl
Cihuacōātl
“Serpent Woman; a female deity and sacred title”
15th–16th Century
Classical Nahuatl
Cihuacōātl
“The goddess and the senior official who acted as the ruler’s chief deputy”
16th Century
Spanish
Cihuacoatl
“A Spanish-recorded form of the Nahuatl divine name and political title”
Modern English
English
Cihuacoatl
“A name for the Aztec goddess, title, or related mythological figure”
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