Toltecs

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of Mesoamerican people known for their advanced civilization and contributions to culture, art, and architecture during the post-Classical period in ancient Mexico
2. An ancient civilization that thrived in central Mexico, recognized for its influence on later cultures, especially the Aztecs, in areas such as religion, social organization, and craftsmanship
3. An indigenous group historically noted for their urban centers, particularly Tula, and for laying the foundation for cultural developments in region before the rise of the Aztec Empire

Etymology: "Toltecs" is the plural of "Toltec," and the singular itself comes from a Nahuatl word meaning "inhabitant of Tollan," where Tollan was the name of the city now associated with Tula in central Mexico. The Nahuatl word "tōltēcatl" was built by adding the suffix "-catl," meaning a person or inhabitant, to the place name "Tōllān." Its plural, "tōltēcah," passed into Spanish as "tolteca," and English took the word from Spanish. The name began as a place-based label rather than the name a people used for themselves. When later Nahua speakers in central Mexico spoke of the builders and rulers associated with Tollan, they described them by where they lived, and the term came to stand for that whole group and its legacy. Spanish writers then applied it to the earlier civilization that had preceded the Aztecs in the region, and that usage carried into English.

Synonyms: ancient Mesoamericans