The word morisco first meant simply Moorish as an adjective

Evidence

Let us start with the older semantic level of usage of the term (which, to avoid confusion, will be called morisco ). This presented no serious problems so long as it was the only sense. In the medieval Castilian of the twelfth century already, morisco (1) is an adjective associated with and derived from the noun moro (which itself might function as both noun and adjective). Moro meant “Moor” (in one or other of the two main acceptations of that word ([a] “North African” or [b] “Muslim,” etc.). Closely associated with this noun moro, morisco (1) was an alternative adjectival (never substantival) form: cf. English “Moorish.” Morisco (1), just like moro, is to be subdivided semantically into either “pertaining to the peoples of North Africa” or “pertaining to their Islamic religion.” — L. P. Harvey, Muslims in Spain, 1500 to 1614, 48

Categorization

• DEFINE: Establishes the older adjectival sense of morisco, distinct from its later noun sense.