zapatistahttp://www.oed.com/dictionary/zapatista_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_useZapatista, n. & adj.
First published 2004

Zapatistanoun & adjective

  1. noun
    1. 1.
      1911–
      A supporter of Emiliano Zapata (see etymology); a member of the revolutionary guerrilla movement which was founded c1910 by Zapata and which fought during the Mexican Revolution to achieve the redistribution of agricultural land. Cf. Zapatist n. A.1. Now historical.
      1. 1911
        Thirteen out of a party of twenty rurales were killed in a fight with Zapatistas near San Maria, Mex., Sunday.
        Thomas County (Nebraska) Herald 5 January
      2. 1981
        Pancho Villa had gained significant advantages: he had acquired an aura of legitimacy, and he had made an important alliance with the Zapatistas.
        L. B. Hall, Álvaro Obregón vii. 95
      3. 2014
        Zapata lost patience with Madero, and in November 1911 the Zapatistas proclaimed their radical program the Plan de Ayala.
        Mexico (Insight Guides) (ed. 9) 63/2
    2. 2.
      1994–
      A member or supporter of a revolutionary force espousing ideals for social and agrarian reform similar to those of Zapata, which launched a popular uprising in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas in January 1994. Cf. Zapatist n. A.2.
      1. 1994
        The Zapatistas announced in June that their supporters had overwhelmingly rejected the peace proposal.
        Associated Press Worldstream (Nexis) 1 January
      2. 2001
        The Zapatistas understood the link between international trade and their own security.
        J. A. Tickner, Gendering World Politics v. 138
      3. 2022
        As I was finishing the first draft of this book in August of 2019, a new letter arrived..addressed, as the Zapatistas' letters always are, to anyone open to receiving it.
        J. Sarbanes, Letters on Autonomy Project 170
  2. adjective
    1. 1912–
      Of, relating to, or designating the Zapatistas (in either sense). Cf. Zapatist adj.
      1. 1912
        Bands which appear to be not closely connected with the Zapatista movement.
        Washington Post 19 February 1/3
      2. 1950
        He..placed a Zapatista general in charge of troops in Morelos.
        F. Tannenbaum, Mexico iv. 64
      3. 1994
        In a statement faxed to the news media, the Zapatista Army..said thousands of armed men and women seized San Cristobal de las Casas.
        Coloradoan (Fort Collins) 2 January a8/2
      4. 2016
        Many catechists and deacons trained under Ruiz reportedly joined the 1994 Zapatista rebellion.
        Monitor (McAllen, Texas) 16 February a5/6

Zapatista, n. & adj. was first published in September 2004.