Usage Note
Terrateniente is a compound of tierra (land) and tener (to hold), describing a large-scale property owner, especially in historical or agrarian contexts. It carries strong connotations of the landed elite and is central to debates about colonial and post-colonial land reform in Latin America. The word is often used with a critical or political charge.
Examples
"El terrateniente controlaba miles de hectáreas."
Natural Translation
The landowner controlled thousands of hectares.
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