Lengua

American  

[leng-gwuh] / ˈlɛŋ gwə /

noun

1. a member of a group of Indian peoples living in the Gran Chaco area of Paraguay.

2. any of several languages spoken by these peoples.

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Etymology

Origin of Lengua

1820–25; < Spanish; literally, tongue, referring to their custom of wearing labrets

Example Sentences

The campaign — starring funk musician Bootsy Collins, joined by his wife, Patti, and grandson Vincent, and musician Babyxsosa — was photographed by Lengua and styled by Haley Wollens.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 18, 2023

“When we see changes in behavior or mental health, we know something is changing in the brain,” said Katie McLaughlin, of Harvard, who is leading the research with Liliana Lengua and Andrew Meltzoff of UW.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 25, 2021

Lengua, or beef tongue, simmered until it’s the consistency of foie gras.

From Washington Post • Sep. 9, 2020

True language mixing can produce weird and wonderful offspring like Media Lengua, which combines Quechuan grammar and Spanish vocabulary to form an “in-between” tongue spoken by some indigenous Ecuadorians.

From Slate • Dec. 24, 2019

Among the Lengua Indians of the Gran Chaco every clan has its cazique or chief, but he possesses little authority.

From The Golden Bough by Frazer, James George, Sir