A member of the indigenous population of the Canary Islands before Spanish conquest in the 15th-16th centuries.
From Spanish 'guanche,' possibly derived from Berber languages of North Africa, reflecting the likely origin of these people who migrated from or had connections to North Africa before isolating on the Canary Islands.
Guanches were completely isolated on the Canary Islands for centuries, developing a unique culture—when Spanish conquistadors arrived, the population was tragically decimated by disease and warfare, and their language disappeared, surviving only in place names!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.