caciquism

Variant of cacique

cacique definition

ca·cique (kə sēk)

noun

    1. in Spanish America, an Indian chief
    2. in Spanish America and Spain, a local political boss
  1. any of various tropical American blackbirds (family Icteridae) with conical bills

Etymology: Sp < Arawak word meaning “prince,” “lord”

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.