quetzalli

Classical Nahuatl

Etymology

From quetza (“to raise, lift, stand”) +‎ -lli.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ke.ˈt͡sa.lːi]

Noun

quetzalli

1. A quetzal feather.
   • 16C: Bernardino de Sahagún, "Florentine Codex", book 1

     in nepapan ihujtl, in quetzalli, in tzinjtzcan, in tlauhquechol, xiuhtototl, in toztli, çaqua: quauhtli

     (all manner of feathers: the long tail feathers of the resplendent trogon, its red breast feathers, those of the roseate spoonbill, the lovely cotinga, the yellow headed parrot the troupial, the eagle)

   • c1609: Tezozomoc, Chimalpahin, Cronica mexicayotl, f. 24r.

     yn chalchihuitl. yn coztic teocuitlatl. yn quetzalli. yn quetzalitztli. yn tapachtli. yn tlapaltehuilotl. yn tlaçotlaquẽtli.

     (of precious green stones, of gold, of quetzal feathers, of emerald-green jade, of spondylus shells, of amethysts, of costly clothing.)

2. Something precious.
   • 1547: Andrés de Olmos, Arte para aprender la lengua mexicana

     Nopilhtze, nocuzque, noquetzale

Derived terms

• Quetzalcōātl

• quetzalītztli

• quetzaltōtōtl

References

• Andrews, J. Richard (2003) Workbook for Introduction to Classical Nahuatl, rev. ed. edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, page 248
• Chimalpahin Quauhtlehuanitzin, Domingo Francisco de San Antón Muñón (1997) Codex Chimalpahin, ed. and trans. by Arthur J. O. Anderson and Susan Schroeder, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, pages 74–75
• Karttunen, Frances (1983) An Analytical Dictionary of Nahuatl, Austin: University of Texas Press, page 210
• Olmos, Andrés de (1875) Grammaire de la langue nahuatl ou mexicaine, ed. by Rémi Siméon, Paris: Imprimerie nationale, page 231
• Sahagún, Bernardino de (1981) Florentine Codex: Book 1 - The Gods, 2nd ed., rev. edition, ed. and trans. by Arthur J. O. Anderson and Charles E. Dibble, Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, page 42