encomienda

[ en-koh-mee-en-duh, -kom-ee-; Spanish eng-kaw-myen-dah ]

noun

, plural en·co·mi·en·das [en-koh-mee-, en, -d, uh, z, -kom-ee-, eng-kaw-, myen, -dahs].

1. the system, instituted in 1503, under which a Spanish soldier or colonist was granted a tract of land or a village together with its Indian inhabitants.
2. the land or village together with its inhabitants.

Word History and Origins

Origin of encomienda¹

1800–10; < Spanish: charge, commission, recommendation. See en- ¹, commend

Example Sentences

The other work featured at the gallery is a video by Aragón, titled La Encomienda.

From The Daily Beast

If he has an encomienda, in addition to this, as your Majesty has been informed, it is a very small one.

From Project Gutenberg

He had come to the Indies as a layman, had held an encomienda after becoming a priest, but in 1514 had renounced it.

From Project Gutenberg

Hundreds of monasteries had been established, especially wherever there were Indians in encomienda.

From Project Gutenberg

As, pues, haz testamento en dos minutos y encomienda el alma en otros dos.

From Project Gutenberg

No relative of the president or of an oidor could be appointed legally to a corregidor-ship or to an encomienda.

From Project Gutenberg