hueyi tlahtoani

Classical Nahuatl

Alternative forms

• uey tlatoani, vey tlatoani (obsolete spellings)

Etymology

From huēyi (“something great”) +‎ tlahtoāni (“king, speaker”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [weː.ji.t͡ɬaʔ.toˈ(w)aː.ni]

Noun

huēyi tlahtoāni (animate)

1. A male sovereign, a king, especially the ruler of an āltepētl.
   • 1555, Alonso de Molina, Aqui comienca vn vocabulario en la lengua castellana y mexicana, f. 211v:

     Rey.   uey tlatoani.altepetl.

     A king. uey tlatoani. altepetl.

   • 1571, Alonso de Molina, Vocabulario en lengua castellana y mexicana y mexicana y castellana, f. 103r. col. 2:

     Rey. vey tlatoani. altepetl.

     A king. vey tlatoani. altepetl.

Derived terms

• huēyi tlahtohcāyōtl

References

• Alonso de Molina (1571) Vocabulario en lengua castellana y mexicana y mexicana y castellana, Editorial Porrúa, page 103r