nahual

English

Alternative forms

• nagual

Etymology

From Spanish nahual, from Classical Nahuatl nāhualli (“sorcerer, spirit, animal form a person may take”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nəˈwɑːl/

Noun

nahual (plural nahuals)

1. (in Mesoamerican mythology) An animal form which a person may take.

   She has a nahual for every day of the week.

2. (in Mesoamerican mythology) A person who is able to take an animal form.

   They suspected that the man was a nahual.

Derived terms

• nahualism

See also

• tonal

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Spanish

Alternative forms

• nagual

Etymology

From Classical Nahuatl nāhualli (“sorcerer”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /naˈwal/ [naˈwal]
• IPA^(key): /naˈɡwal/ [naˈɣ̞wal]
• Rhymes: -al

Noun

nahual m (plural nahuales)

1. (Central America, Mexico) sorcerer
2. (Central America, Mexico) healer, witch doctor
3. (in Mesoamerican mythology) nahual (animal form which a person may take)
4. (in Mesoamerican mythology) nahual (person able to take animal form)

Synonyms

• (sorcerer): brujo m, hechicero m
• (healer, witch doctor): curandero m
• (animal form): tonal m

Descendants

• → English: nahual

References

• Template:R:DRAE 2001
• Carlos Montemayor et al. (2009) Diccionario del náhuatl en el español de México, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, page 93