Aztec

American  

[az-tek] / ˈæz tɛk /

noun

• Aztecs
  plural

1. a member of a Nahuatl-speaking state in central Mexico that was conquered by Cortés in 1521.

2. Also called classical Nahuatl. the variety of Nahuatl that served as the medium of Aztec civilization, aboriginally written in a chiefly pictographic script.

3. the Nahuatl language.

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Aztec British  

/ ˈæztɛk /

noun

1. a member of a Mexican Indian people who established a great empire, centred on the valley of Mexico, that was overthrown by Cortés and his followers in the early 16th century

2. the language of the Aztecs See also Nahuatl

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the Aztecs, their civilization, or their language

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Aztecan
  adjective
• post-Aztec
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• Aztecs
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of Aztec

1780–90; < Spanish azteca < Nahuatl aztēcah, plural of aztēcatl person from Aztlān, the legendary place of origin of the Aztecs

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Aztec Aztecs

A centuries-old document telling the story of the Aztec civilisation and its fall after the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in pictograms is going on display in Mexico for the first time in 186 years.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

Spencer Schoenbaum was there celebrating his 29th birthday with friends — all of them wearing Bruin polo shirts and khaki shorts, as a nod to Aztec coach Sean Lewis’ statement about UCLA’s purported preppy fashion.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

The adaptation resets Sophocles’ tragedy to Aztec culture in a transposition that is both visually and musically enlivening.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

While the Spanish conquistadors methodically tried to erase Aztec cultural traditions and language, it didn’t work.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

He’d cut off a chunk of the Aztec emperors and whittled them down until there was only one remaining.

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia

The pictograms in the Codex Boturini narrate the story of the migration of the Aztecs, also known as Mexica, from their ancestral homeland to the shores of Lake Texcoco, where they built Tenochtitlán.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

“Insects were valued by the Aztecs for their high protein content,” explains Elena Reygadas, Rosetta’s owner and head chef.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

The Teotihuacán is an ancient city, home to massive pyramids, and predates the Aztecs.

From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2026

“When the Spanish would approach a town, she would tell the people: ... ‘You can join the Spanish and help bring down the Aztecs.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 25, 2026

Conquest of the two large mainland empires, those of the Aztecs and Incas, followed in 1519—1520 and 1532-1533, respectively.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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