xilonen

Classical Nahuatl

Alternative forms

• xillone (obsolete spelling)

Etymology

From xīlōtl (“tender ear of maize”). The second element could correspond to nenetl (“doll, figurine”) through apocopation, or to a form of nemi (“to live”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ʃiːˈloːnen̥]

Proper noun

xīlōnen (animate)

1. (religion) (she is) Doll of Unripe Maize, goddess of tender, unripe maize, an appellation of Chicomecoatl.
   • 1585, Bernardino de Sahagún, Kalendario mexicano, latino y castellano, f. 90r:

     Octauo mes delos mex^nos llamado: Hueytecuhilhuitl, enq́ hazian fiesta ala Diosa llamada: xilonen, diosa delos xilotes.

     Eigth month of the Mexicans, called Hueytecuhilhuitl, in which they celebrated the goddess called Xilonen, goddess of unripe ears of maize.

Related terms

• xīlo