Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

inca

/ˈɪŋkə/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.01 in modern English

Syllables: in-ca
IPA: /ˈɪŋkə/

6

Scrabble Score

4

Letters

2

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A member of the group of Quechuan peoples of highland Peru who established an empire from northern Ecuador to central Chile before the Spanish conquest.

noun

Any of several species of hummingbirds in the genus Coeligena

Example Sentences

"To honor the spirits that take form as mountains, the Inca stoneworkers carved rock outcrops to replicate their shapes."
"Archaeologists say the Incas, brought down by the Spanish conquest, used khipus – strands of woolen cords made from the hair of animals like llamas or alpacas – as an alternative to writing."

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish inca, from Classical Quechua inka (“emperor”).

Word Breakdown

Root: inka

Inflected Forms

Incas (plural)

Derived Forms

Incan

Phrases

Inca dove Inca lily Peruvian Inca Orchid black inca bronzy inca brown inca collared inca Gould's inca

Synonyms

inka incan

Homonyms

inker (non-rhotic)

Rhymes With

vinca trnka tschinke

Questions

How do you pronounce inca?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɪŋkə/.
What does inca mean?: A member of the group of Quechuan peoples of highland Peru who established an empire from northern Ecuador to central Chile before the Spanish conquest.
Where does inca come from?: Borrowed from Spanish inca, from Classical Quechua inka (“emperor”).

How to pronounce inca

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “inca”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈɪŋkə/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “inca”.
Repeat and practice — Say “inca” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.