zompantli

Spanish

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Classical Nahuatl tzompantli (“skull rack”), of debated composition. Perhaps from tzontli (“hair, head”) (compare tzontecomatl (“head, skull”)) + pantli (“flag, banner”), or simply (“row”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /θomˈpantli/ [θõmˈpãn̪.t̪li] (Spain)
  • IPA(key): /somˈpantli/ [sõmˈpãn̪.t̪li] (Latin America, Philippines)
  • Rhymes: -antli
  • Syllabification: zom‧pan‧tli

Noun

zompantli m (plural zompantlis)

  1. in some Mesoamerican civilizations, a wooden rack or palisade used for the public display of human skulls

See also

Further reading

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