montezuma
montezuma Lexical Profile
• noun
The name of two Aztec emperors of Mexico, most notably Montezuma II, who ruled the Aztec Empire in the early 16th century during the arrival of Hernán Cortés and the Spanish conquistadors.
"During his world history class, he learned how Montezuma initially welcomed the Spanish explorers into Tenochtitlan before being taken hostage."
American A geographic place name applied to various counties, towns, and national monuments in the United States, often named in historical homage to the Aztec ruler.
"The family traveled to Arizona to explore the ancient indigenous cliff dwellings at Montezuma Castle National Monument."
Word Nuance & Usage
In modern historical and academic contexts, the name is frequently spelled 'Moctezuma' to more accurately reflect its original Nahuatl pronunciation and spelling.
• Rhymes for montezuma
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Spanish 'Montezuma', derived from Classical Nahuatl 'Motecuhzoma' (Moctezuma), which translates roughly to 'he frowns like a lord' or 'he who is angry in a noble manner'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.