Chichimec
1
9.9
A person belonging to an indigenous group in northern Mexico in ancient times
- noun
- /ˈtʃɪtʃɪmɛk/
:
chichimeca
- In historical texts, the term Chichimec was sometimes used to label outsiders.
Examples
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The Chichimec tribes resisted Spanish colonization fiercely.
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Many Chichimecs lived in the arid regions of northern Mexico.
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The Aztecs often described their northern neighbors as Chichimec tribes.
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Archaeologists have found artifacts linked to the ancient Chichimec people in central Mexico.
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The Aztecs often described their northern neighbors as Chichimec tribes.
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The Chichimec tribes resisted Spanish colonization fiercely.
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Many Chichimec people lived in the arid regions of northern Mexico.
Surface Forms
Chichimec singular
Chichimecs plural
Etymology
The word Chichimec comes from the Nahuatl chīchīmec, probably meaning 'people of the dog', and settled Mesoamerican peoples used it for northern tribes they saw as wild or outsiders; that's why historical texts call a member of those groups a Chichimec.