Definition

1. Noun:
   • A member of a dominant group in pre-Columbian Peru: An Inca was a member of the Quechua-speaking people who established a vast empire in the Andes region of South America, with its capital at Cuzco.
   • A ruler of the Inca Empire: The term specifically refers to the emperor or sovereign ruler of the Inca Empire, who was considered a descendant of the sun god.
   • The civilization or empire itself: By extension, "Inca" can refer to the civilization, culture, or the empire they built.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Member of the people):
  • The Inca were skilled engineers, building extensive road networks and remarkable stone structures.
  • This textile was woven by an Inca artisan using traditional techniques.
• Noun (The ruler):
  • The Sapa Inca was believed to be the son of Inti, the sun god.
  • Atahualpa was the last ruling Inca before the Spanish conquest.
• Noun (The civilization):
  • The history of the Inca is a fascinating study of imperial organization.
  • Machu Picchu is the most famous Inca site.

Advanced Usage

• "Inca" as an adjective: While "Incan" is the standard adjective, "Inca" is sometimes used attributively (before a noun) to describe things pertaining to the Inca.
  • The Inca road system was an engineering marvel. (Here, "Inca" functions adjectivally to describe the road system.)
• Cultural reference: The term is often used in historical and archaeological contexts to discuss pre-Columbian civilizations, imperial expansion, and the impact of European colonization.

Variants and Related Words

• Incan (adj): Of or relating to the Incas or their empire.
  • Incan architecture is known for its precise stonework.
• Quechua (n): 1. The indigenous people of the Andes, many of whom were part of the Inca Empire. 2. The language spoken by the Inca and still widely spoken today.
• Sapa Inca (n): The title for the emperor or supreme ruler of the Inca Empire.

Synonyms

• Pre-Columbian Andean: Referring to the peoples and cultures of the Andes before European contact.
• Ruler/Emperor (specifically for the Sapa Inca): sovereign, monarch.

Related Phrases and Concepts

• Inca Empire: The specific political state ruled by the Sapa Inca, which spanned a large portion of western South America.
• Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire: The historical event (early 1530s) led by Francisco Pizarro that resulted in the fall of the empire.
• Machu Picchu: The famous 15th-century Inca citadel, now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Noun

1. the small group of Quechua living in the Cuzco Valley in Peru who established hegemony over their neighbors in order to create an empire that lasted from about 1100 until the Spanish conquest in the early 1530s
2. a member of the Quechuan people living in the Cuzco valley in Peru
3. a ruler of the Incas (or a member of his family)