Mapuche
|Ma-pu-che|
/məˈpuːtʃeɪ/
people of the land
Etymology
'Mapuche' originates from Mapudungun (the Mapuche language), specifically from the elements 'mapu' meaning 'earth' or 'land' and 'che' meaning 'people'.
The term comes from the Mapudungun self-designation. Spanish and other outsiders historically used the exonym 'Araucano/Araucanian' for the group, but 'Mapuche' (from their own language) has become the accepted modern term in English and Spanish.
Initially the components meant 'land' + 'people' (i.e. 'people of the land'); over time the compound came to be used as the name for the ethnic group and, by extension, for their language and cultural identity.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a member of the indigenous Mapuche people of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina.
Many Mapuche communities maintain traditional practices and strong ties to their land.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the Mapuche people as a whole (the ethnic group).
The Mapuche have a long history of resistance and cultural resilience.
Synonyms
Noun 3
relating to the Mapuche language (Mapudungun) or the Mapuche culture; sometimes used to refer to the Mapudungun language itself.
Some Mapuche elders still speak Mapudungun and teach it to younger generations.
Last updated: 2026/01/03 04:13