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:

• blue agave vs. agave
• maguey vs. agave

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

agave agaves

I washed the meal down with a cocktail made from pulque—the Aztec’s milky, sacred brew made from fermented agave sap—mixed with xoconostle, a tangy local cactus fruit.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

Signorelli landed on a combination of Greek yogurt, cappuccino powder and agave syrup.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

In Mexico, blue agave is farmed in the state of Jalisco to supply the tequila industry.

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026

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

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

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

Think tropical species like banana plants, abutilons and agaves.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 29, 2022

Bernard was waiting for him among the agaves.

From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley