Nahuatl
Americannoun
-
Nahuatls,
plural
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Nahuatl
plural
-
a member of any of various peoples of ancient origin ranging from southeastern Mexico to parts of Central America and including the Aztecs.
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a Uto-Aztecan language spoken by over half a million people mostly in central Mexico.
adjective
noun
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a member of one of a group of Central American and Mexican Indian peoples including the Aztecs
-
the language of these peoples, belonging to the Uto-Aztecan family
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of Nahuatl
1815–25; < Spanish náhuatl < Nahuatl nāhuatl something that makes an agreeable sound, a second-language speaker of one's own language
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.
See Examples For:
The Aztecs’ language, a strand of Nahuatl, is still spoken by over one million indigenous people in rural villages, while many Aztec traditions quietly persisted.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
They have named the month-old female Xoco, a Nahuatl name meaning "little sister" or "the youngest child".
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
In a call and response, they taught words in Nahuatl, introduced instruments and explained the sounds they carried, as well as the spirituality.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2023
The gallery’s namesake is Nepantla, a Nahuatl word that means “in the middle,” which Prendez describes as the place where one heals, rejuvenates or creates.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 30, 2023
Ayocuan’s remarks cannot be fully understood out of the Nahuatl context, Leon-Portilla argued.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
The practice of the couvade was universal, in some form or other, amongst the Carib races, but was unknown amongst the peoples whom I have called the Nahuatls.
From The Naturalist in Nicaragua by Thomas Belt
The Nahuatls distinct from the Caribs on one side and the Red Indians on the other.
From The Naturalist in Nicaragua by Thomas Belt
If there be any truth in the story told to Solon by the priests of Sais, they are a much more likely people to have invaded the countries around the Mediterranean than the Nahuatls.
From The Naturalist in Nicaragua by Thomas Belt
Nahuatls distinct from the Caribs on one side and the Red Indians on the other.—Discussion of the question of the peopling of America.
From The Naturalist in Nicaragua by Thomas Belt
Even in Columbus's time they were found making long voyages to ravage the villages of the peace-loving Nahuatls.
From The Naturalist in Nicaragua by Thomas Belt
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