adj
Aztec
AZ-tehk
adj
1
Relating to the Aztecs, the Nahuatl-speaking people who built a powerful empire in central Mexico before the Spanish conquest, or to their language and culture.
"The museum's Aztec exhibit featured intricate stone carvings and gold jewelry."
"Aztec temples were often built as stepped pyramids."
noun
1
A member of the Aztec people, or their language.
"Historians still debate how the Aztecs organized their empire."
2
In American football, a hybrid defensive position that blends the roles of safety, nickelback, and linebacker.
"The defense lined up in an Aztec package to cover the tight end."
How to Use Aztec
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRelating to the Aztec civilization of pre-colonial Mexico, or (in football slang) a specific defensive role.
Common pairings
the Aztec empire
Aztec ruins
Aztec mythology
Word Forms
more Aztec comparative, Aztecs plural, Aztec plural, most Aztec superlative
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Etymology
From Spanish azteca, from Classical Nahuatl aztecatl, meaning "person from Aztlán," the legendary homeland of the Aztec people.