Moriscos (en. Moorish people)

/moˈɾiskos/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishSpanish
noun
Descendants of Muslims who remained in the Iberian Peninsula after the Reconquista.
The moriscos were the subject of persecution and expulsion in the 17th century.
Los moriscos fueron objeto de persecución y expulsión en el siglo XVII.
Those who secretly practiced Islam after converting to Christianity.
Often, the moriscos kept their Islamic customs hidden.
A menudo, los moriscos mantenían sus costumbres islámicas a escondidas.

Etymology

The term 'morisco' comes from the Latin 'Maurus', which referred to the inhabitants of Mauritania.

Common Phrases and Expressions

the story of the moriscos
It refers to the accounts and historical events about the moriscos in Spain.
la historia de los moriscos
expulsion of the moriscos
The act of expelling the moriscos from Spain in 1609.
expulsión de los moriscos
hidden moriscos
It refers to those moriscos who secretly maintained their Muslim faith.
moriscos ocultos

Related Words

moro
Term used to refer to Muslims during the medieval period.
moro
Reconquista
Historical period of the Spanish reconquest against the Muslims.
Reconquista
converso
A person who has converted to a different religion, especially from Judaism or Islam to Christianity.
converso

Slang Meanings

Used in some contexts to refer to someone who hides their true cultural background.
In the conversation, it was mentioned that he was a 'morisco' due to his customs.
En la conversación se mencionó que era un 'morisco' por sus costumbres.
A derogatory term to insinuate that someone is disloyal to their cultural origin.
He called him 'morisco' because he does not speak his native language.
Lo llamó 'morisco' porque no habla su lengua materna.