Totonac
/ˈtoʊtənɑːk/noun
A member of an Indigenous people of eastern Mexico, or the language they speak.
Did you know?The name is usually traced to the Totonac people themselves, but its deeper origin is still debated, which makes it one of those rare ethnonyms where history keeps part of the door locked.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian
Totonac
tutunaku / totonac
“The self-name of an Indigenous people of eastern Mexico, exact original sense uncertain”
16th Century
Spanish
totonaca / totonaco
“Spanish colonial spelling for the people and their language”
Modern English
English
Totonac
“The Indigenous people of eastern Mexico or their language”
Modern English
English
Totonac
“The Indigenous people of eastern Mexico or their language”