Mictlantecuhtli
/ˌmiːktlæn.teˈkuːtli/noun
In Aztec religion, the lord of Mictlan, the underworld and realm of the dead.
Did you know?Mictlantecuhtli is a Nahuatl theonym, and its meaning is built from Mictlan, the underworld, plus tecuhtli, meaning 'lord' or 'noble,' showing how divine names could literally encode cosmic rank.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Nahuatl
Nah
Mictlantecuhtli
“'Lord of Mictlan,' the underworld ruler in Aztec religion”
Classical Nahuatl
Nah
Mictlan
“the place of the dead, the underworld”
Classical Nahuatl
Nah
mictli
“death”
Classical Nahuatl
Nah
tecuhtli
“lord, noble, ruler”
Modern English
English
Mictlantecuhtli
“the Aztec god of the dead”