In two different classes recently, we had conversations about indigenous words in Spanish: boricua and huracán. There are many, many more: barbacoa, tomate, chicle, chocolate, quinoa, papa, condor, maíz… In recognition of my students’ curiosity and Indigenous Peoples Day, here is a list of 200 Spanish Words with Indigenous Roots.
| Spanish | English | Origin |
| caraota | black bean | Arawakan |
| chinchilla | chinchilla | Aymara |
| mico | monkey (small species) | Cumanagoto |
| maracuyá | passion fruit | Guaraní |
| ñandú | rhea (large bird) | Guaraní |
| jaguar | jaguar | Guaraní |
| biznaga | barrel cactus | Huitzli nahual |
| lempira | currency of Honduras; also a Lenca indigenous leader | Lenca |
| quiltro | mutt (dog) | Mapudungun |
| maya | Maya (civilization and people) | Maya / K’iche’ |
| cacao | the bean from which chocolate is made, from the K’iche’ Maya word *kakaw* | Maya / K’iche’ |
| cenote | a natural sinkhole or underground reservoir, common in the Yucatán Peninsula | Maya / K’iche’ |
| chicle | chewing gum, derived from the sap of the sapodilla tree, called *tsicte* in Maya | Maya / K’iche’ |
| chocolate | derived from the Nahuatl word *xocolatl*, but originally from the Maya word *chocol* (hot) and *atl* (water), referring to a drink made with cacao. | Maya / K’iche’ |
| cigarro | cigarette, originally from the Maya word *sikar* meaning “to smoke.” | Maya / K’iche’ |
| guacamayo | macaw, a large colorful parrot native to Central and South America | Maya / K’iche’ |
| henequén | henequen (a plant used to make rope) | Maya / K’iche’ |
| huipil | a traditional embroidered blouse worn by indigenous women in Central America, from the Maya word *huipil*. | Maya / K’iche’ |
| huipil | a traditional embroidered blouse worn by indigenous women in central america, from the maya word *huipil*. | Maya / K’iche’ |
| itzá | the name of a Maya group, giving rise to terms like the famous *Chichén Itzá*. | Maya / K’iche’ |
| ixchel | the name of the Maya goddess of fertility, medicine, and the moon, from the K’iche’ *ix* (goddess or lady). | Maya / K’iche’ |
| jacinto | the name of a flower, from the Maya word *jacinto*. | Maya / K’iche’ |
| petén | the region in northern Guatemala, named after the K’iche’ word *petén* meaning “island” or “area with water.” | Maya / K’iche’ |
| pibil | a method of cooking food underground, common in yucatán cuisine (as in “cochinita pibil”). | Maya / K’iche’ |
| quiché | Mayan | Maya / K’iche’ |
| sacbé | white limestone roads built by the Maya, meaning “white road.” | Maya / K’iche’ |
| tamale | from the Maya word *tamalli*, a traditional dish made of corn dough filled with meats or other fillings. | Maya / K’iche’ |
| tepache | a fermented drink made from pineapple or corn, from the Maya word *tepach* meaning “corn drink.” | Maya / K’iche’ |
| tizón | burning log or firebrand, possibly derived from *t’ison* in Maya, referring to something burnt or charred. | Maya / K’iche’ |
| yucatán | the name of the peninsula, traditionally thought to come from a misunderstanding between the Spanish and Maya, where the latter said *ma’anaatik ka t’ann* (“I don’t understand what you are saying”). | Maya / K’iche’ |
| cacao | cacao, cocoa | Náhuatl |
| chilacayote | fig-leaf gourd | Náhuatl |
| ixtle | fiber from agave | Náhuatl |
| jacal | adobe hut | Náhuatl |
| jícara | gourd, small bowl | Náhuatl |
| jitomate | tomato (Mexican Spanish) | Náhuatl |
| náhuatl | Nahuatl (Aztec language) | Náhuatl |
| petate | straw mat | Náhuatl |
| pinole | roasted corn flour | Náhuatl |
| sonsote, cenzotle | mockingbird | Náhuatl |
| tarahumara | indigenous group from Mexico | Náhuatl |
| tequila | tequila | Nahuatl |
| tuna | prickly pear fruit | Náhuatl |
| tuza | corn husk | Náhuatl |
| hule | rubber | Náhuatl |
| amate | fig tree bark paper | Náhuatl amatl |
| atole | traditional hot corn-based drink | Náhuatl atolli |
| aguacate | avocado | Náhuatl awakatl |
| ajolote | axolotl | Náhuatl axolotl |
| capulín | black cherry | Náhuatl capulin |
| chayote | chayote (a type of squash) | Náhuatl chayotl |
| chile, chili | chili pepper | Náhuatl chilli |
| elote | corn on the cob | Náhuatl elotl |
| ejote | green bean | Náhuatl exotl |
| cacahuate, cacahuete | peanut | Náhuatl kakawatl |
| cacomistle, cacomiztle, cacomixtle | ringtail (a type of raccoon-like mammal) | Náhuatl kakomixtli |
| calpulli | Aztec communal land | Náhuatl kalpulli |
| camote | sweet potato | Náhuatl kamohtli |
| cuate | buddy, twin (Mexican slang) | Náhuatl koatl |
| coyote | coyote | Náhuatl koyotl |
| mapache | raccoon | Náhuatl mapachtli |
| mecate | rope | Náhuatl mekatl |
| milpa | cornfield (traditional farming system) | Náhuatl milpan |
| mixteco | Mixtec (indigenous group) | Náhuatl mixtekatl |
| mesquite | mesquite (tree) | Náhuatl mizquitl |
| mole | mole (Mexican sauce) | Náhuatl molli |
| nopal | prickly pear cactus | Náhuatl nopalli |
| ocelote | ocelot | Náhuatl ocelotl |
| ocote | pine tree (specific to Central America) | Náhuatl okotl |
| olmeca | Olmec (ancient civilization) | Náhuatl olmekatl |
| pulque | fermented agave drink | Náhuatl poliuhqui octli |
| quetzal | quetzal (bird) | Náhuatl quetzalli |
| tamal | tamale | Náhuatl tamalli |
| tepehuán | indigenous group from Mexico |
Náhuatl Tēpēhuanih, Tepēhuāntin, Tēpēhuanitlahtōlli, and/or Tepēhuahcān
|
| tomate | tomato | Náhuatl tómatl |
| chicle | chewing gum | Náhuatl tsikitl |
| jícama | jicama (root vegetable) | Náhuatl xikámatl |
| chocolate | chocolate | Náhuatl xokolatl |
| zacate | grass | Náhuatl zakatl |
| zapoteca | Zapotec (indigenous group) | Náhuatl zapotekatl |
| zapote | sapote (fruit) | Náhuatl zapotl |
| zopilote | buzzard, vulture | Náhuatl zopilotl |
| popote | drinking straw (Mexican Spanish) | Náhuatl popotl |
| pozole | corn soup | Náhuatl pozolli |
| tiza | chalk | Náhuatl tizatl |
| mandioca | cassava | Nheengatu/Guaraní manio’k / mandio |
| achira | canna lily | Quechua |
| caucho | rubber | Quechua |
| chaleco | vest or waistcoat | Quechua |
| chía | chia seed | Quechua |
| chicha | a fermented or non-fermented drink made from corn or other grains. | Quechua |
| coca | the plant whose leaves are used for medicinal purposes and as the raw material for cocaine. | Quechua |
| guano | fertilizer made from bird or bat excrement. | Quechua |
| huaca | sacred place (Inca culture) | Quechua |
| huaco | pottery artifact (Andean region) | Quechua |
| huayco | mudslide (Peru) | Quechua |
| llama | llama | Quechua |
| llama | a South American domesticated animal used for transport and wool. | Quechua |
| locro | a type of soup or stew common in the Andes, made with corn, beans, and potatoes. | Quechua |
| machu picchu | meaning “Old Peak,” referring to the famous ancient Incan site. | Quechua |
| ñapa, yapa | small bonus (e.g., extra food or goods) | Quechua |
| palta | avocado (South America) | Quechua |
| pampa | plain (grassland) | Quechua |
| papa | potato | Quechua |
| petaca | flask | Quechua |
| pisco | a type of brandy produced in Peru and Chile, originally meaning “bird” in Quechua. | Quechua |
| pita | agave | Quechua |
| poncho | a traditional South American garment. | Quechua |
| quena | Andean flute | Quechua |
| tambo | a roadside inn or shelter in the Andes. | Quechua |
| alpaca | alpaca | Quechua allpaqa |
| anticucho | grilled meat skewers | Quechua anti uchu |
| champa | hut, shack | Quechua ch’ampa |
| charqui | jerky (dried meat) | Quechua ch’arki |
| choro | shellfish (in some regions), thief (slang) | Quechua ch’uru |
| chacra | small farm (Andean region) | Quechua chakra |
| chaco | lowland plain region (in South America) | Quechua chaku |
| chirimoya | cherimoya (custard apple) | Quechua chiri muya |
| choclo | corn (in some Latin American regions) | Quechua chuqllu |
| inca | Inca | Quechua inka |
| cancha | field, court (sports) | Quechua kancha |
| quipu | knot record system (Inca) | Quechua khipu |
| quina | quinine (used for malaria) | Quechua kinakina |
| quinoa | quinoa (grain) | Quechua kinwa |
| coca | coca plant (source of cocaine) | Quechua kuka |
| condor | condor (large bird) | Quechua kuntur |
| curaca | indigenous chief (Inca region) | Quechua kuraka |
| mate | mate (South American tea) | Quechua mati |
| morocho | corn-based drink (South America) | Quechua muruch’u |
| nana | grandmother, nanny (slang) | Quechua ñaña |
| puma | puma (cougar) | Quechua puma |
| pupo | belly button (informal) | Quechua pupu |
| poroto | bean (South America) | Quechua purutu |
| poto | buttocks (informal) | Quechua putu |
| coronta | corncob | Quechua q’urunta |
| cañihua | cañihua (a grain similar to quinoa) | Quechua qañiwa |
| calincha | hummingbird (possibly a regional variation) | Quechua qharincha |
| quechua | Quechua (language and people) | Quechua qhichwa |
| quincha | wattle and daub construction (Peru) | Quechua qincha |
| zapallo | squash | Quechua sapallu |
| soroche | altitude sickness | Quechua suruchiq |
| tacho | trash can (in some regions) | Quechua tachu |
| tambo | inn (Inca region) | Quechua tampu |
| ojota | sandal (South American) | Quechua ushuta |
| huaraca | sling (weapon) | Quechua warak’a |
| vicuña | vicuña (camelid animal) | Quechua wik’uña |
| wincha | headband (Andean region) | Quechua wincha’ |
| vizcacha | viscacha (rodent) | Quechua wisk’acha |
| yapa | something extra, a bonus or gift | Quechua yapay |
| yuyo | weed | Quechua yuyu |
| concho | dregs (slang) | qunchu |
| nigua | chigoe flea | Taino |
| barbacoa | barbecue | Taíno |
| batata | sweet potato | Taíno |
| bejuco | vine | Taíno |
| bohío | hut | Taíno |
| boricua | Puerto Rican (person) | Taíno |
| Borikén | Puerto Rico (Taíno name) | Taíno |
| borinqueño | Puerto Rican (person, based on Taíno name) | Taíno |
| cacique | indigenous chief | Taíno |
| caimán | caiman | Taíno |
| caníbal | cannibal | Taíno |
| canoa | canoe | Taíno |
| caoba | mahogany | Taíno |
| Caribe | Caribbean | Taíno |
| casabe, cazabe | cassava bread | Taíno |
| casava | cassava | Taíno |
| cayo | small island, cay | Taíno |
| ceiba | ceiba tree | Taíno |
| coquí | small frog from Puerto Rico | Taíno |
| Cuba | Cuba | Taíno |
| Haití | Haiti | Taíno |
| hamaca | hammock | Taíno |
| hicaco | icaco (a type of tropical fruit) | Taíno |
| huracán | hurricane | Taíno |
| iguana | iguana | Taíno |
| Jamaica | Jamaica | Taíno |
| jíbaro | rural person from Puerto Rico | Taíno |
| jobo | hog plum | Taíno |
| loro | parrot | Taíno |
| mabí, maví | fermented drink (Caribbean) | Taíno |
| macana | club, stick | Taíno |
| macanudo | great, awesome (slang) | Taíno |
| maguey | agave | Taíno |
| mamey | mamey fruit | Taíno |
| manatí | manatee | Taíno |
| mangle | mangrove | Taíno |
| maní | peanut | Taíno |
| papaya | papaya | Taíno |
| pécari | peccary (wild pig) | Taíno |
| quisqueyano | Dominican (person) | Taíno |
| sabana | savanna | Taíno |
| tiburón | shark | Taíno |
| yuca | cassava | Taíno |
| maíz | corn | Taíno mahiz |
| carioca | person from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Tupi-Guarani |
| maraca | maraca (musical instrument) | Tupi-Guarani |
| tamandua | anteater | Tupi-Guarani |
| tapioca | tapioca | Tupi-Guarani |
| tucán | toucan | Tupi-Guarani |