Cihuapilli
/siwaˈpilːi/noun
In Nahuatl, an honorific term meaning a noblewoman or lady, literally a woman of high rank.
Did you know?In Classical Nahuatl, titles were not just labels but social power: *cihuapilli* combines *cihuātl* (“woman”) with *pilli* (“noble child” or “person of rank”), making the term a marker of elite identity.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Uto-Aztecan
PUA
*siwa
“woman”
Classical Nahuatl
Nahuatl
cihuātl
“woman”
Classical Nahuatl
Nahuatl
pilli
“noble child; person of rank”
Classical Nahuatl
Nahuatl
cihuapilli
“noblewoman; lady of rank”
Modern English
English
cihuapilli
“a Nahuatl title for a noblewoman or lady”
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