Tepehuano
/ˌtɛpəˈwɑːnoʊ/noun
A member of an Indigenous people of northwestern and north-central Mexico, or the Uto-Aztecan language they speak.
Did you know?Tepehuano is a Spanish exonym for several related Indigenous groups, and it ultimately reflects the Nahuatl root *tepetl* meaning “mountain,” a reminder that names can preserve ancient landscapes.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian
Nahuatl
tepetl
“mountain”
Colonial Nahuatl
Nahuatl
tepehua
“to inhabit the mountains / mountain-dweller”
16th Century
Spanish
tepehuano
“a mountain people of New Spain”
Modern Spanish
Spanish
tepehuano
“member of the Tepehuan peoples; Tepehuan language”
Modern English
English
Tepehuano
“the Tepehuan people or language”
Explore more surprising origins