esparto

Or espar·to grass

[ih-spahr-toh]

noun

plural

espartos 

1. any of several grasses, especially Stipa tenacissima, of southern Europe and northern Africa, used for making paper, cordage, etc.

esparto

/ ɛˈspɑːtəʊ /

noun

1. any of various grasses, esp Stipa tenacissima of S Europe and N Africa, that yield a fibre used to make ropes, mats, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of esparto¹

1585–95; < Spanish < Latin spartum < Greek spárton rope made of spártos kind of rush

Word History and Origins

Origin of esparto¹

C18: from Spanish, via Latin from Greek sparton rope made of rushes, from spartos a kind of rush

Example Sentences

There have been no criminal charges filed in connection to the explosion and fire that ripped through a pyrotechnic company warehouse in the rural farming community of Esparto, Calif., on July 1.

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Family members of the victims say their relatives were hired to package fireworks in the days leading up to the Fourth of July weekend at the Esparto warehouse.

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Seven people died in the small farming community of Esparto on July 1, roughly 80 miles north of the Bay Area.

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Esparto firefighters were notified about some type of emergency at the warehouse shortly before 6 p.m. on July 1.

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ESPARTO, Calif. — In their desperation and grief, three generations of the close-knit Ramos clan have gathered in this dusty lot three quarters of a mile from the site of last week’s massive fireworks explosion — as close as they can get to the site where their beloved sons spent their last day.

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