Inca

noun

In·​ca ˈiŋ-kə 

1

a

: a member of the Quechuan peoples of Peru maintaining an empire until the Spanish conquest

b

: a king or noble of the Inca empire

2

: a member of any people under Inca influence

Incaic

in-ˈkā-ik 

adjective

Incan

ˈiŋ-kən 

adjective

Examples of Inca in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Stein traveled the globe to meet the last people keeping ancient traditions alive, from Scandinavia’s final night watchman to the Peruvian bridge master who reconstructs a bridge out of grass every year in the tradition of the fabled Inca road system. —Eliot Stein, Rolling Stone, 9 Dec. 2024

In February, the 31-year-old moved into X Denver, an apartment building at 3100 Inca St. in Union Station North. —Matthew Geiger, The Denver Post, 2 Dec. 2024

Also, a recent Fortune article reported that analysts from blockchain firms Chaos Labs and Inca Digital found signs of wash trading on Polymarket. —Marie Poteriaieva, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

Machu Picchu — Peru The Inca were famous for building an epic series of roads that cross the mountains, deserts and coastlines of South America. —Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Quechua inka ruler of the Inca empire

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

Inca

noun

In·​ca ˈiŋ-kə 

1

: a noble or a member of the Indigenous peoples of Peru maintaining an empire until the Spanish conquest

2

: a member of any people under Inca influence

Incan

-kən 

adjective