agave

American  

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

noun

agaves plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• agaves
  plural

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:

• maguey vs. agave
• blue agave vs. agave

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

agave agaves

Desmond Nazareth is a pioneer in the Indian agave spirit industry.

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026

With growing demand is there a danger that India's wild supplies of agave will become depleted?

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026

His company, Agave India, launched India's first homegrown agave spirit in 2011.

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026

India's wild supply of cheap agave plants is far from ideal, points out Indian entrepreneur Sree Harsha Vadlamudi.

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026

“He. I call him Pond, because an agave pond belongs to him.”

From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young

Red agave caterpillars tunnel into the core of their host agaves, and collecting them often kills the plant.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 26, 2026

Bohl and her husband removed the lawn and laid 2 inches of river rock approximately 3/4 to 1-inch wide, planting with agaves, manzanitas and yuccas.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 12, 2024

Wild agaves stockpile sugars for decades before depleting their energy reserves in a single flowering event before they die.

From Science Magazine ● Oct. 11, 2023

Succulents such as aloes and agaves have waxy cuticles with sunken stomata, helping to reduce water loss.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

Giant agaves flowered among the palms, looking like spiders squatting there with their long spiny leaves.

From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke