Mayan

American  

[mah-yuhn] / ˈmɑ jən /

adjective

1. of or relating to the Maya, their culture, or their languages.

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noun

• Mayans
  plural

1. a member of the Mayan tribe.

2. a group of languages spoken by the Mayas in southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, including Yucatec, Quiché, and Huastec.

Mayan British  

/ ˈmaɪən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the Maya or any of their languages

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noun

1. a family of Central American Indian languages, including Maya, possibly a member of the Penutian phylum

2. another name for a Maya 2

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• pseudo-Mayan
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• Mayans
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of Mayan

First recorded in 1885–90; May(a) + -an

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Mayan Mayans

"Hurricanes carry moisture and move ocean currents and plankton," he said, noting the consequences for seafood dishes at his restaurant Huniik, where he reimagines Mayan specialties.

From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026

Malxux Gaspar, who teaches a Mayan culture class at Esperanza, also watched the construction from her classroom window.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

Once-common literary references to Shakespeare or Dickens have now become as obscure in the common culture as so many Mayan inscriptions.

From Salon ● Apr. 19, 2026

New Mayan cities and communities—which were expected to have finite lifespans—emerged in proximity to abandoned places “that must have been understood as old yet still within historical memory.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026

Eventually dissension and uprisings led to the collapse of the Mayan state.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

A few accounts say friars who presented Guatemalan Mayans to Philip II of Spain in 1544 also gifted him cacao beans.

From Salon ● Feb. 17, 2025

And then, if we take it back to indigenous roots, if you go to Mayans, we have really amazing abdominal massage practices.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2024

Her research spanned “thousands of years of history” as she drew inspiration from cultures including the Roman and Byzantine Empires and the Mayans.

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2024

Also seen are symbols relating to ancient Egyptians and Mayans and architectural nods to Islam, the UAE’s official religion.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 12, 2024

Though the Aztecs lost control of Mexico, like the Mayans their descendants are part of today’s societies in Mexico and the US.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

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