Meaning & use
cacique
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A local political boss or indigenous chief, especially in Latin America and the Caribbean.
See it in a sentence
The village cacique settled disputes between neighboring families.
Spanish chronicles describe the cacique who ruled the island before European colonization.
A note on using this word
"Cacique" originated in the Taino language of the Caribbean and was adopted by Spanish colonizers to describe indigenous leaders, later broadening to mean any local political strongman.
Words with a similar meaning
chieftainchief
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