Quechua

Definition

A member of one of several South American ethnic groups that spans Peru, Bolivia, northwestern Argentina, northern Chile, and in Ecuador and southern Colombia.

Etymology

Spanish, from Quechua qhichwa (literally “temperate valley”).

Example Sentences

• "The Quechuas, a tribe of the Inca people, were Indians of the red race and with an appearance and trait which is distinctly American. “They are”, says Victor W. Von Hagen in his book, Realm of the Incas, “of medium height, and inclined to be thickset, with large hands, small wrists, a disproportionately large chest (developed for breathing at high altitudes), well-developed legs, and wide-spreading feet. They are broad-headed, with high cheekbones, prominent aquiline noses, and small, almond-shaped eyes.” There are still five million of them in the Andes."