Nahuatl
/ˈnɑː.wɑː.tl/noun
A Uto-Aztecan language spoken by the Nahua people in central Mexico.
Did you know?Nahuatl was the language of the Aztecs, and it holds the keys to many ancient rituals and philosophies still studied today.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Uto-Aztecan
PUA
*nāwatl
“a term referring to 'sound' or 'voice', emphasizing the essence of spoken language.”
Classical Nahuatl
Nahuatl
nāhuatl
“the term for the language itself, meaning 'sound' or 'clear voice', central to cultural identity.”
16th Century
Spanish
Nahuatl
“adopted from indigenous usage, referring to the language of the Aztecs.”
Modern Usage
English
Nahuatl
“used to identify the language spoken by the Nahua people, retaining its ancient roots.”