Otomian
/oʊˈtoʊ.mi.ən/noun
Relating to the Otomi people or their languages of central Mexico.
Did you know?The name ultimately passed into English through Spanish, reflecting how colonial-era languages often preserved Indigenous names while altering their pronunciation and spelling.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian period
Otomi
Hñähñu / Ñuhu
“Endonyms used by different Otomi communities; their precise meanings vary by regional language and tradition.”
Classical Nahuatl
Nahuatl
otōmitl
“A Nahuatl name for an Otomi person; the term was used by Nahuatl speakers for this neighboring Indigenous group.”
16th Century
Spanish
otomí
“Spanish form of the Nahuatl-derived ethnonym, referring to the Otomi people and their language.”
19th Century
English
Otomi
“English noun and adjective for the people, languages, and cultural traditions of the Otomi.”
Modern English
English
Otomian
“An English adjective meaning relating to the Otomi people or their languages.”