Teocali
/ˌteɪ.oʊˈkɑː.li/noun
A temple or sacred pyramid of the Aztecs and other Indigenous peoples of central Mexico.
Did you know?The more common English spelling, “teocalli,” comes from Nahuatl and was used for stepped temple-pyramids where priests performed rituals and sacrifices.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian period
Nahuatl
teōcalli
“Sacred temple; literally “god-house,” from teōtl, “god,” plus calli, “house””
16th Century
Spanish
teocalli
“A temple or sanctuary of the Indigenous peoples of Mexico, recorded by Spanish chroniclers”
17th–18th Century
English
teocalli
“A temple or pyramid temple of ancient Mexico”
19th Century
English
teocali
“A variant spelling of teocalli used in English writing about Aztec antiquities”
Modern English
English
teocali
“A less common variant of teocalli, meaning an Aztec or Mesoamerican temple”