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adelantado

American  
[ad-l-ahn-tah-doh, ah-the-lahn-tah-thaw] / ˌæd l ɑnˈtɑ doʊ, ˌɑ ðɛ lɑnˈtɑ ðɔ /

noun

History/Historical.
adelantados plural
  1. a governor of a province in Spain or of a Spanish colonial province.

  2. any of the early explorers, conquerors, or colonizers in Spanish America.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of adelantado

1835–45, < Spanish, noun use of past participle of adelantar to go forward, derivative of adelante in front ( a- (< Latin ad- ad- ) + delante before, for denante < Late Latin dē in ante )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

To follow up the conquest of Yucatan, it was indispensable to recruit his forces, and for this purpose the adelantado determined on going to New Spain.

From Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, Vol. I. by Stephens, John L.

In August 1534 the adelantado, or governor, sailed from San Lucar, at the head of the largest and wealthiest expedition that had ever left Europe for the New World.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 5 "Arculf" to "Armour, Philip" by Various

The adelantado represented to him the great service he might render the king, and by promises of reward induced him to remain.

From Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, Vol. I. by Stephens, John L.

He had come to be their friend; he desired, also, to be a Christian, and asked the adelantado to go through some Christian ceremonies.

From Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, Vol. II. by Stephens, John L.

All the expedition which the son of the adelantado could make was not sufficient for those who remained in Champoton.

From Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, Vol. I. by Stephens, John L.

They paid scant respect to the adelantados, whom the Castilian king sent out one after another as feudal proprietors.

From The South American Republics Part I of II by Dawson, Thomas C.

These "adelantados" contracted to conquer, at their own charges, the particular districts granted them, certain profits being reserved to the crown, and Charles V. freely granted such patents.

From The South American Republics Part I of II by Dawson, Thomas C.

The governors.—The old days of the adelantados, with unlimited powers, had passed, and the royal arm now reached the farthest outposts.

From The Colonization of North America 1492-1783 by Bolton, Herbert Eugene

The horses brought over by the adelantados had multiplied amazingly, and were spreading wild over the pampa to the south.

From The South American Republics Part I of II by Dawson, Thomas C.

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