encomienda
noun
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.
encomiendas
-
pluralof encomienda.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
But the land was fertile, and the Native Americans told of even richer soil to the east, ideal for encomiendas, as large Spanish-ruled plantations exploiting indigenous labor were called.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 2026
He finds it plausible that Coronado could have built a Spanish empire of encomiendas in the American Midwest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 2026
While encomiendas did not technically include the ownership of any land, encomenderos often took possession of lands where the people under their control lived.
From Textbooks ● Dec. 14, 2022
Spanish conquistadors could no longer be granted encomiendas.
From Textbooks ● Dec. 14, 2022
Joseph de Navada Alvarado, and others; 1632–36, Decree extending the tenure of encomiendas.
