Quechua

noun

Que·​chua ˈke-chə-wə How to pronounce Quechua (audio)
ˈkech-wə
plural Quechua or Quechuas
1
: a family of languages spoken by Indian peoples of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, and Argentina
2
a
: a member of an Indian people of central Peru
b
: a group of peoples forming the dominant element of the Inca Empire
Quechuan
ˈke-chə-wən How to pronounce Quechua (audio)
ˈkech-wən
adjective or noun

Examples of Quechua in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web On the other side of the world, six Indigenous Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes govern the Parque de la Papa (Potato Park) in Pisac, Cusco, a mountainous landscape that is one of the original homelands of the potato. Ashish Kothari, Scientific American, 1 June 2021 Some groups have been granted autonomous rule—for example, the Acehnese in Indonesia and the indigenous Aymara and Quechua communities in Bolivia. Lars-Erik Cederman, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Quechua.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, probably from Southern Peruvian Quechua qheswa (simi), literally, valley speech

First Known Use

1688, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of Quechua was in 1688

Dictionary Entries Near Quechua

Cite this Entry

“Quechua.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Quechua. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

Quechua

noun
Que·​chua ˈkech-(ə-)wə How to pronounce Quechua (audio)
kə-ˈchü-ə
plural Quechua or Quechuas
: a family of closely related languages spoken by Indigenous peoples of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, and Argentina

More from Merriam-Webster on Quechua

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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