oceloquichtli

Classical Nahuatl
FWOTD – 31 May 2020
A jaguar warrior holding a macuahuitl sword and shield.

Etymology

From ocēlōtl (“jaguar”) +‎ oquichtli (“warrior”).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /oˈseː.loː.kitʃtɬi/

Noun

ocēlōquichtli (plural ocēlōquichtin)

  1. jaguar warrior, jaguar knight (member of the Aztec military elite)
    • 1645, Horacio Carochi, Arte de la lengua mexicana, (4.6.1).
      amoyölïcàtzin mocëloquichtine, tocnïhuäne: cämpa öanhuällàquè? huel anmiequïntin: auh ca çannötitèhuän; tiquìtoà, àçomà oc azcentlamantin.
      welcome o jaguar warriors, our friends; where do you come from? You are very many: and you are from our nation, we understood that you were from another caste.
    • 1949, Aztekische Schriftsprache; Grammatik mit Lautlehre, page 170:
      cf. cuiloa. oceloquichtli Jaguarmann, met. für tapferer Krieger; cf. oquichtli + ocelotl; . aber oquichocelotl = Jaguarmännchen.
      cf. painting. oceloquichtli Jaguar man, met. for brave warrior; cf. oquitchli + ocelotl; . but oquichocelotl = Jaguar men.

Usage notes

Some scholars, such as J. Lockhart, instead parse this word as moceloquichtli, with the first element being instead from mocel (“you alone”). The only attestations are in the vocative, leaving the correct lemma form in dispute.

References
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