Conquistadors

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Spanish conquerors and explorers of the Americas who sought to claim territories for Spain are referred to as individuals who played a key role in the colonization and resource exploitation of the New World
2. This term denotes the adventurers from Spain who ventured into the Americas to conquer land and establish dominance in newly discovered regions
3. Individuals from Spain known for their expeditions across the Americas, often seeking wealth and land, are recognized for their impact on indigenous cultures and the establishment of colonies

Etymology: Spanish "conquistar" means "to conquer," and "conquistador" is the agent form of that verb, the one who conquers. English borrowed the word directly from Spanish, so it kept the Spanish sense of a conqueror rather than being translated into an English term. In English, the plural "conquistadors" is the form that names the group of Spanish soldiers and adventurers who took over large parts of the Americas. The Latin ending behind the Spanish suffix is "-tor," the same ending that appears in English words such as "actor" and "author." Its path runs from Proto-Italic into Latin, then into Spanish as "-dor," so the Spanish word is built from the verb "conquistar" plus a suffix that marks the doer of an action. That structure is what makes the word feel so direct: its name is simply "one who conquers."

Synonyms: conquerors, explorers