cacique

ca·cique

C0009800 (kə-sēk′)n.1. An Indian chief, especially in the Spanish West Indies and other parts of Latin America during colonial and postcolonial times.2. A local political boss in Spain or Latin America.

[American Spanish, from Arawak kassequa, chieftain.]

cacique

(kəˈsiːk) or

cazique

n1. (Anthropology & Ethnology) a Native American chief in a Spanish-speaking region2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (esp in Spanish America) a local political boss3. (Animals) any of various tropical American songbirds of the genus Cacicus and related genera: family Icteridae (American orioles)[C16: from Spanish, of Arawak origin; compare Taino cacique chief]

ca•cique

(kəˈsik)

n. 1. a chief of an Indian clan or tribe in Mexico and the West Indies. 2. (in Spain and Latin America) a political boss on a local level. [1545–55; < Sp < Taino (Hispaniola)]

Thesaurus

Noun

cacique - black-and-red or black-and-yellow orioles of the American tropicscaziqueAmerican oriole, New World oriole, oriole - American songbird; male is black and orange or yellowCacicus, genus Cacicus - a genus of tropical American orioles

cacique

see CAUDILLISMO.

Cacique

an Indian chieftain in Mexico, the West Indies, and Central America before the Spanish conquest. The post of cacique was usually hereditary in a particular clan or family. The caciques and their descendants formed the aristocratic elite among the Aztecs, Mayans, and other tribes. Some of the caciques went over to the side of the Spanish colonialists and became feudal landowners and officials.

In Latin America and in Spain, influential politicians from among landowners, the bourgeoisie, and the military who have seized power in a particular region of the country are called caciques. The system of administration whereby the central government exercises its authority in localities with the help of caciques has come to be known as caciquism.

REFERENCE

Zorita, A. Breve y sumaria relación de los señores de la nueva España. Mexico City, 1942.

cacique

ca·cique

cacique

cazique

ca•cique

cacique

cacique

Cacique

REFERENCE

cacique

Synonyms for cacique

noun black-and-red or black-and-yellow orioles of the American tropics

Synonyms

Related Words