Conquistadores

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term referring to Spanish or Portuguese explorers who conquered territories in the Americas during the Age of Discovery and established colonial rule
2. Individuals actively involved in the conquest of Indigenous peoples and lands across the New World, often driven by the quest for wealth and expansion
3. Historical figures noted for their military exploits and their role in the transformation of indigenous cultures through colonization and interaction with European powers

Etymology: Spanish "conquistar" means "to conquer," and the "-dor" ending is the common Spanish suffix that turns a verb into a person who performs the action. So a conquistador is, quite literally, one who conquers. The root traces back through Latin "-tor," the agent suffix that gave English words like "creator" and "actor," and ultimately to an ancient Indo-European ending meant to name the doer of an action. English borrowed the word directly from Spanish. Its plural, "conquistadores," keeps the Spanish form, which is why English speakers usually recognise it as a foreign term rather than a native one. The word is applied most often to the Spanish soldiers and explorers who led campaigns in the Americas, though the same Spanish term describes anyone who conquered.

Synonyms: conquerors, explorers, invaders, colonizers, pioneers