History

Definition of medal

The concept of medal, which comes from the Latin word medaglia, refers to a metal object, usually rounded and thin, that has a symbol, an inscription or a carved or engraved figure. Medals, therefore, resemble small discs. Similar to coins, although larger, medals are made of metal.

Definition of patron

Several decades before Christ, the Roman Emperor Augustus had an advisor who was also dedicated to promoting the arts: Gaius Maecenas. This man used to protect poets and creators and sponsor their activities. From this historical figure arose the common noun patron. This is the name given to an individual who financially supports a person […]

Definition of dungeon

The classical Arabic maṭmūrah, which can be translated as “silo”, came to Hispanic Arabic as maṭmúra. This is the immediate etymological antecedent of mazmorra, a term in our language that refers to an underground dungeon. Dungeons, therefore, were located in places that were difficult to access, which increased the complexity of an eventual escape. […]

Definition of entail

The entail is an institution that forms part of civil law and that allows the ownership of certain rights or assets to be maintained within a family. Its scope is determined by the conditions dictated in its establishment or by the prescriptions of the law; currently its validity is limited to the […]

Definition of mausoleum

A mausoleum is a lavish tomb. The term comes from Mausolēum, a Latin word that referred to the tomb of Mausolus, who was the monarch of Caria between 337 BC and 353 BC. When Mausolus died, his wife, sister and successor Artemisia called upon great Greek sculptors and architects of the […]

Definition of matriarchy

The first thing we are going to indicate is the etymological origin of the term matriarchy that we are now dealing with. Specifically, we can state that it is a word that is the result of the sum of the following lexical components: -The Latin noun “mater”, which means “mother”. -The Greek element “arche”, which is used to refer to […]

Definition of marquis

The term marquis is used to refer to an individual who holds a noble title higher than that of a count, but lower than that of a duke. It is an honour granted by European kings. Marquis comes from marca, a word that formerly referred to a border territory. The first marquises, in this context, were […]

Definition of marshal

In the Frankish language, the words marh (which translates as “horse”) and skalk (which means “servant”) derived into marhskalk. This term reached Old French and finally into our language as marshal. The concept has several uses, usually linked to the military field. In ancient times, marshal was a high-ranking officer […]

Definition of manuscript

The Latin expression manu scriptus (which can be translated as “written by hand”) derived, in medieval Latin, into manuscriptum (a “text written by hand”). That is why, in our language, a manuscript is called something that was written manually. The concept usually refers to an ancient document or one that […]

Definition of malinche

The term malinche comes from a Mexican slave who was the lover, advisor and translator of the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. La Malinche, thus, had great importance in the European advance through Mexican territory. The way of evaluating La Malinche’s behavior and attitude changed over the years.