mecapal

Borrowed from Classical Nahuatl mecapalli (“tumpline”), based on mecatl (“cord, rope”).

• IPA^(key): /mekaˈpal/ [me.kaˈpal]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: me‧ca‧pal

mecapal m (plural mecapales)

1. (Central America, Mexico) tumpline

   Synonym: bambador

   • 1571, Alonso de Molina, Vocabulario en lengua castellana y mexicana y mexicana y castellana, f. 55r. col. 1:

     Mecapalli. mecapal, cordel para lleuar carga acueſtas.

     Mecapalli. tumpline, cord to bear a load on the back.

• “mecapal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 10 December 2024