ixayotl

Classical Nahuatl

Etymology

Either a reduction or reanalysis of synonymous īxxāyōtl (“tear”), from īxtli (“eye”) + xāyōtl (“discharge”), or a separate formation based on īxtli (“eye”) +‎ āyōtl (“watery substance”), forming a minimal pair with īxxāyōtl.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /iːʃˈaːjoːt͡ɬ/

Noun

īxāyōtl

1. tear, tears
   • 1571, Alonso de Molina, Vocabulario en lengua castellana y mexicana y mexicana y castellana, f. 44v. col. 2:

     ixayotl. lagrimas.

     (ixayotl. tears.)

Derived terms

• īxāyōchōca (verb)
• īxāyōpohpōhua (verb)

References

• Frances Karttunen (1992) An Analytical Dictionary of Nahuatl, University of Oklahoma Press, page 110