cacique

noun

ca·​cique kə-ˈsēk 

1

: an Indigenous chief in areas dominated primarily by a Spanish culture

2

: a local political boss in Spain and Latin America

caciquism

kə-ˈsē-ˌki-zəm 

noun

Examples of cacique in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Chiefs or caciques held godlike powers and could order laborers to cultivate land or serve in military encounters. — Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025

The son of a cacique (chief) from the Vale do Javari, an indigenous territory in the Brazilian Amazon larger than Austria, he was converted by a missionary from another ethnic group and became a pastor himself. — The Economist, 11 July 2020

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Taino, chief

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cacique

• antique
• batik
• bespeak
• boutique
• comique
• critique
• grosbeak
• midweek
• mystique
• oblique
• physique
• pratique