(in Spanish America) a man who owns considerable property or is otherwise esteemed.
Origin: 1585–95; < Sp, contr. of hijo dalgo, OSp fijo dalgo a noble, a person with property, a son with something < L filius son + dē from + aliquō something
hi·dal·go (hĭ-dāl'gō, ē-thäl'-) n.
pl.hi·dal·gos A member of the minor nobility in Spain.
[Spanish, alteration of hijo dalgo, from Old Spanish fijo dalgo : fijo, son (from Latin fīlius; see dhē(i)- in Indo-European roots) + de, of (from Latin dē; see de-) + algo, something, possession (from Latin aliquō, ablative of aliquid : alius, some; see al-1 in Indo-European roots + quid, something; see kwo- in Indo-European roots).]
1594, from Sp., from O.Sp. fidalgo, shortened from filho de algo "son (L. filus) of someone (L. aliquis)," perhaps an imitation of Ar. ibn-nas "son of people," a complimentary title.