conquistador

[ kon-kwis-tuh-dawr, kong-; Spanish kawng-kees-tah-thawr ]

noun

plural conquistadors, Spanish conquistadores

1. one of the Spanish conquerors of Mexico and Peru in the 16th century.

conquistador

/ kɒnˈkwɪstəˌdɔː; konkistaˈðor /

noun

1. an adventurer or conqueror, esp one of the Spanish conquerors of the New World in the 16th century

Word History and Origins

Origin of conquistador¹

1540–50; < Spanish equivalent to conquist ( ar ) to conquer ( conquest ) + -ador -ator

Word History and Origins

Origin of conquistador¹

C19: from Spanish, from conquistar to conquer; see conquest

Example Sentences

When the Spanish conquistadors arrived they were suspicious at first, and the Catholic Church declared coca to be the work of the devil.

From Salon

Others credit Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes, who got a taste of chocolate after being served Xocolatl by Montezuma himself.

From Salon

A statue of the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro has been reinstalled in the centre of Peru's capital Lima, more than 20 years after it was removed.

From BBC

Somewhat later, Spanish conquistadors followed Columbus across the Atlantic to conquer the Aztec and Incan empires, occupying significant parts of the Americas.

From Salon

To do so, he elicits help from fellow students, but their presentation is derailed by unlikely apparitions: a conquistador, a small child, Laura Linney.

From New York Times