Where does “tenameh altepetl” come from?

tenameh altepetl (Classical Nahuatl) comes from Classical Nahuatl āltepētl, from Classical Nahuatl ātl tepētl, from Classical Nahuatl ātl, from Proto-Nahuan *aa-, from Proto-Uto-Aztecan pa — water.

tenameh altepetl (Classical Nahuatl): A town enclosed by a defensive wall

Definitions

  1. A town enclosed by a defensive wall

Ancestry of “tenameh altepetl”, step by step

tenameh altepetl traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Classical Nahuatl āltepētl

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Classical Nahuatlāltepētlcity-state; city, community; town, city
2Classical Nahuatlātl tepētlAltepetl; town; city; pueblo
3Classical NahuatlātlAlternative spelling of atl; water
4Proto-Nahuan*aa-water
5Proto-Uto-Aztecanpawater

via Classical Nahuatl tenāmeh

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Classical Nahuatltenāmehsomething walled
Every word from Proto-Uto-Aztecan paEvery word from Proto-Nahuan *aa-Every word from Classical Nahuatl ātl