Aztec
UK: ˈæz.tɛk | US: ˈæz.tɛk
n. A member of the indigenous people dominant in central Mexico before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century.
n. The Nahuatl language spoken by the Aztecs.
adj. Relating to the Aztec people or their culture.
The word "Aztec" derives from Nahuatl aztecatl, meaning "person from Aztlan," the mythical homeland of the Mexica people. The morpheme Azt- refers to Aztlan, while -ec is a suffix denoting affiliation or origin. Over time, "Aztec" became the exonym for the Mexica civilization, popularized by European historians. The term reflects the cultural identity and migration narrative central to Aztec mythology.
The Aztec empire was renowned for its advanced architecture and complex social structure.
Many Aztec artifacts are displayed in the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.
The Aztec language, Nahuatl, is still spoken by over a million people today.
Aztec agriculture relied heavily on chinampas, or floating gardens.
Spanish conquistadors were astonished by the grandeur of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan.