nahual

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Spanish nahual, from Classical Nahuatl nāhualli (sorcerer, spirit, animal form a person may take).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /nəˈwɑːl/
  • (file)

Noun

nahual (plural nahuals)

  1. (Mesoamerican mythology) An animal form which a person may take.
    She has a nahual for every day of the week.
  2. (Mesoamerican mythology) A person who is able to take an animal form.
    They suspected that the man was a nahual.

Derived terms

See also

Spanish

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Classical Nahuatl nāhualli (sorcerer).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /naˈwal/ [naˈwal], /naˈɡwal/ [naˈɣ̞wal]
  • Rhymes: -al
  • Syllabification: na‧hual

Noun

nahual m (plural nahuales)

  1. (Central America, Mexico) sorcerer
    Synonyms: brujo, hechicero
  2. (Central America, Mexico) healer, witch doctor
    Synonym: curandero
  3. (in Mesoamerican mythology) nahual (animal form which a person may take)
    Synonym: tonal
  4. (in Mesoamerican mythology) nahual (person able to take animal form)

Descendants

  • English: nahual

References

  • Carlos Montemayor et al. (2009) Diccionario del náhuatl en el español de México, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, page 93

Further reading

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