Aztec

noun

Az·​tec ˈaz-ˌtek 

1

a

: a member of a Nahuatl-speaking people that founded the Mexican empire conquered by Cortes in 1519

b

: a member of any people under Aztec influence

2

: nahuatl

Aztecan

ˈaz-ˌte-kən 

ˌaz-ˈte-

adjective

Examples of Aztec in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Mensah isn’t the first Aztec alum spirited out of a country with missiles exploding behind him. —Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 June 2025

Two stages, the mainstage sitting in the City Hall parking lot and a more intimate setting across the street inside the historic Aztec Theater, will hold several live bands throughout the day. —Taylor O’Connor, Kansas City Star, 25 June 2025

Read More: The Fall of the Aztec Empire: What Really Happened in the Battle of Tenochtitlan? —Rosie McCall, Discover Magazine, 12 May 2025

From Ohio’s Serpent Mound to Arizona’s Petrified Forest and the Aztec Ruins in New Mexico, there are a few excellent examples of locations that respond to the sunlight. —Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Spanish azteca, from Nahuatl aztēcah, plural of aztēcatl

First Known Use

1810, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for Aztec

• breakneck
• codec
• exec
• mixtec
• paycheck
• pinchbeck
• recheck
• redneck
• toltec
• beck
• breck
• check

Kids Definition

Aztec

noun

Az·​tec ˈaz-ˌtek 

: a member of an Indigenous people that ruled a large empire in Mexico in the 15th-16th centuries