agave

American  

[uh-gah-vee, uh-gey-] / əˈgɑ vi, əˈgeɪ- /

noun

1. any of numerous American plants belonging to the genus Agave, of the agave family, species of which are cultivated for economic or ornamental purposes: A. arizonica, of central Arizona, is an endangered species.

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agave British  

/ ˈæɡeɪv, əˈɡeɪvɪ /

noun

1. any plant of the genus Agave , native to tropical America, with tall flower stalks rising from a massive, often armed, rosette of thick fleshy leaves: family Agavaceae. Some species are the source of fibres such as sisal or of alcoholic beverages such as pulque and tequila See also century plant

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Etymology

Origin of agave

< New Latin (Linnaeus) < Greek agauḗ, feminine of agauós noble, brilliant

Compare meaning

How does agave compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• blue agave vs. agave
• maguey vs. agave

Example Sentences

On Camino Escalante, Guthrie’s squat, orange brick house is set back from the road behind a lawn planted with prickly pear, agave, cholla and yucca.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

Another option would be trying maple syrup, honey or agave in place of the sugar, which would round out the flavor a bit more.

From Salon • May 6, 2025

The traditionally Mexican distillate is derived from the agave plant, often using methods that have been honed across generations, with varieties that impart flavors ranging from smoky to earthy and acidic.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 3, 2024

Cobbs cited research showing that consuming 7.5 grams of agave inulin daily for three weeks was insufficient to confer any meaningful prebiotic benefit.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 3, 2024

“There are a lot of agave plants,” Nathan observed.

From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young