kah-THEE-kays
CAZIQUES is the plural form of cazique (also spelled cacique), referring to indigenous chiefs or leaders in Latin America and the Caribbean. These were rulers of indigenous communities during pre-Columbian times and the Spanish colonial period.
Yes. CAZIQUES is in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools and scores 28 points in Scrabble, 30 in Words With Friends and 30 in Wordfeud (base tile values, no board multipliers). Always check the dictionary your game uses (NWL, Collins or the WWF list) before playing.
| Letter | C | A | Z | I | Q | U | E | S | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrabble | 3 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 28 |
| Words With Friends | 4 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 30 |
| Wordfeud | 4 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 30 |
Caziques represents a fascinating intersection of indigenous American leadership, Spanish colonial history, and modern word gaming. As the plural of cazique (or cacique), it refers to the chiefs, princes, or rulers of indigenous communities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. These leaders held positions of significant authority in pre-Columbian societies and continued to play important roles during the Spanish colonial period as intermediaries between their communities and colonial administrators.
The cazique system varied greatly across different indigenous cultures. Among the Taíno people of the Caribbean, caziques ruled over villages called yucayeques and could be either male or female. They managed agricultural production, settled disputes, led religious ceremonies, and commanded warriors in times of conflict. The most powerful caziques controlled multiple villages and formed complex political alliances. When Columbus arrived in 1492, he encountered numerous caziques, including the famous Guacanagaríx who initially aided the Spanish.
In Mesoamerica and South America, the Spanish applied the term cazique to various indigenous leadership positions that didn't always align with the Caribbean model. Aztec tlatoani, Inca curacas, and Maya batabs were all labeled caziques by Spanish chroniclers, despite having different powers and responsibilities. This linguistic generalization reflects the colonial tendency to simplify complex indigenous political systems into familiar categories.
The word "cazique" traces its roots to the Taíno word "kasikɛ" (chief), which Spanish conquistadors first encountered in the Caribbean. The Taíno, an Arawakan-speaking people, used this term for their village and regional leaders. Spanish colonizers adopted it as "cacique" or "cazique," with both spellings appearing in early colonial documents. The variation in spelling reflects the challenges of transcribing indigenous words into Spanish orthography. The word entered English in the 16th century through Spanish colonial writings, maintaining both spelling variants. The plural form adds the standard Spanish "-s," creating "caziques" or "caciques."
Anagrams: no other word uses exactly the letters of CAZIQUES.
Hooks: no front hooks; no back hooks.
Words inside CAZIQUES: 49 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: CAZIQUEQUIZCAIQUESCAIQUECASQUESACQUEQUAISQUASIQUAISIZEQISQUA. See all words from CAZIQUES.