ahau

noun

ä-ˈhau̇
plural -s
often capitalized
: the last of the 20 day names of the Maya calendar that with its associated numbers 1 to 13 in a peculiar order (13, 11, 9, 7, 5, 3, 1, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2) designated the 13 katuns of a series
13 ahau the first

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Epigraphic Mayan ʔajaaw, literally, "lord, ruler"

First Known Use

1843, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ahau was in 1843

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near ahau

Cite this Entry

“Ahau.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ahau. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!