Inca

American  

[ing-kuh] / ˈɪŋ kə /

noun

1. a member of any of the dominant groups of South American Indian peoples who established an empire in Peru prior to the Spanish conquest.

2. a ruler or member of the royal family in the Incan empire.

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Inca British  

/ ˈɪŋkə /

noun

1. a member of a South American Indian people whose great empire centred on Peru lasted from about 1100 _ad to the Spanish conquest in the early 1530s and is famed for its complex culture

2. the ruler or king of this empire or any member of his family

3. the language of the Incas See also Quechua

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Other Word Forms

• Incaic adjective
• Incan noun
• pseudo-Incan adjective

Etymology

Origin of Inca

1585–95; < Spanish < Quechua inka ruler of the Inca state

Example Sentences

Maize held enormous cultural importance for the Inca and was used to make ceremonial fermented beer called 'chicha'.

From Science Daily • Mar. 7, 2026

"Guano was a highly sought-after resource the Incas would have wanted access to, playing an important role in the diplomatic arrangements between the Inca and the Chincha communities," Dr. Bongers said.

From Science Daily • Mar. 7, 2026

“Crypto use in Venezuela will persist and likely expand in the short term,” said Adam Zarazinski, chief executive officer of the crypto-intelligence firm Inca Digital.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 10, 2026

Two trains collided on the single track leading to the ancient Inca town on Tuesday, according to a statement from the local government.

From BBC • Dec. 30, 2025

Spain possessed it, while the Inca Empire did not.

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