náhuatl

Nahuatl (language)

noun NAH-wah-tl Rare

Origin: From the Nahuatl word nāhuatl, meaning 'clear sound' or 'one who speaks clearly.'

Usage Note

Náhuatl is the indigenous language of the Aztecs, still spoken by over a million people in central Mexico. It has given Spanish (and English through Spanish) many common words: chocolate, tomate, aguacate, cacao, chile. As an adjective it is invariable: lengua náhuatl, cultura náhuatl. The accent on the á shifts the stress to the first syllable; without it, stress would fall on the final consonant cluster, which is unusual in Spanish.

Examples

"El náhuatl es una lengua viva en México."

Natural Translation

Nahuatl is a living language in Mexico.

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