Zapotec

[ zap-uh-tek, zah-puh-; Spanish sah-paw-tek ]

noun

, plural Za·po·tecs, (especially collectively) Za·po·tec

1. a member of an American Indian people living in the Mexican state of Oaxaca.
2. the Oto-Manguean language of the Zapotecs, consisting of a number of highly divergent dialects.

adjective

1. Archaeology. of or relating to a Mesoamerican Indian civilization of the Oaxaca region of Mexico c600 b.c. to a.d. 1000, characterized by a bar-and-dot system of enumeration, a calendar of Mayan derivation, ball courts, and underground frescoed tombs.

Zapotec

/ ˈzɑːpəˌtɛk /

noun

1. AlsoZapotecanˌzæpəʊˈtɛkənˌzɑː- -tecs-tec any member of a large tribe of central American Indians inhabiting S Mexico, esp the Mexican state of Oaxaca
2. the group of languages spoken by this people

adjective

1. AlsoZapotecan of or relating to this people or their language

Word History and Origins

Origin of Zapotec¹

< Mexican Spanish zapoteco < Nahuatl tzapotēcah, plural of tzapotēcatl person from Tzapotlān ( tzapo ( tl ) sapodilla + -tēcatl suffix of personal nouns, -tlān locative suffix)

Word History and Origins

Origin of Zapotec¹

from Spanish Zapoteca, from Nahuatl Tzapoteca, literally: people of the land of the sapodillas, from tzapotl sapodilla

Example Sentences

While there are some phrases close to what conservation means in Zapotec, most of these words relate more to “taking care of” or “looking after,” which is not truly embodying what conservation means.

From Popular-Science

One of the photos shows a naked Mendieta in a Zapotec tomb, with flowers bursting forth from her arms and legs, obscuring her face and most of her body.

From Washington Post

They were among the first to submit to the Zapotec kings, in the hope of being allowed to retain their wealth.

From Project Gutenberg

He has also printed a little tract for lovers, in which high-sounding phrases are translated from the Spanish into Zapotec.

From Project Gutenberg

There is an interesting commerce carried on in Juave towns by Zapotec traders from Juchitan.

From Project Gutenberg

As elsewhere, we were impressed with the independent bearing and freeness of the Zapotec woman.

From Project Gutenberg

Benito Juarez, who laid the foundations on which Diaz has so magnificently built, was a pure-blood Zapotec.

From Project Gutenberg