Motolinia (or motolina) is a Word from the Nahuatl language and has the meaning of "which is poor", of which "is afflicted" (mo means tolinia is poor, afflicted). Poor, miserable, impoverished, abandoned, diminished. needy, helpless. It should emphasize on the last i: motolinia. It is the nickname that Fray Toribio de Benavente adopted for himself when it came to evangelize in Mexico.
The word in nahuatl is motolinia which seems that it means poor, unhappy. So they called the Indians of new Spain in the 16th century evangelists Franciscan monks who accompanied the conquerors, including fray Toribio de Motolinía also called fray Toribio de Benavente for being in this city of Zamorano. This was the first word that this monk learned Nahuatl by what they appropriated it.
