miztli

Classical Nahuatl

Etymology

Perhaps from Proto-Uto-Aztecan *musa (“wildcat”) (compare Hopi moosa).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mistɬi/

Noun

miztli (plural mīmiztin)

1. Puma/cougar/mountain lion (Puma concolor).
   • 1555: Alonso de Molina, Aqui comienca un vocabulario en la lengua castellana y mexicana, f. 154r.

     Leon animal. miztli.

   • c1609: Tezozomoc, Chimalpahin, Cronica mexicayotl, f. 22r

     camo çan quexquich yn ompa onoque yn ompa tlapia yn tequanime yn cuecuetlachtin. yn ocelome. yn mimiztin yn cocohua

     (Countless fierce animals were there; bears, jaguars, mountain lions, snakes were on guard.)

Derived terms

• cihuamiztli
• mizconetl

• miztepiton
• mizton

• miztontli

References

• Andrews, J. Richard (2003) Workbook for Introduction to Classical Nahuatl, rev. ed. edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, page 237
• 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 70–71
• Karttunen, Frances (1983) An Analytical Dictionary of Nahuatl, Austin: University of Texas Press, pages 149–150

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Eastern Huasteca Nahuatl

Etymology

Cognate to Classical Nahuatl miztli

Noun

miztli

1. cat

See also

• zacamiztli