mescal
Americannoun
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an intoxicating beverage distilled from the fermented juice of certain species of agave.
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any agave yielding this spirit.
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Also called peyote. either of two species of spineless, dome-shaped cactus, Lophophora williamsii or L. diffusa, of Texas and northern Mexico, yielding the hallucinogen peyote.
noun
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Also called: peyote. a spineless globe-shaped cactus, Lophophora williamsii, of Mexico and the southwestern US. Its button-like tubercles ( mescal buttons ) contain mescaline and are chewed by certain Indian tribes for their hallucinogenic effects
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a colourless alcoholic spirit distilled from the fermented juice of certain agave plants
Etymology
Origin of mescal
1695–1705, < Mexican Spanish mescal, mezcal, mexcal < Nahuatl mexcalli intoxicant distilled from agave (perhaps equivalent to me ( tl ) maguey + ( i ) xcalli something cooked)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
C. redtenbacheri moths rely exclusively on agave plants for most of their life cycle, even as the local environment is changing and demand for mescal and agave alike are rising.
From Scientific American ● Mar. 8, 2023
She assembled the collection for the new property in the central Mexican travel hot spot using up-and-coming designers, lesser-known artisans and a cadre of small-batch mescal and botanical lotion producers.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 20, 2019
On this Taco Tuesday, the bartender made a south-of-the-border spin on a Seattle favorite, The Last Word, tweaking it with mescal along with green chartreuse, maraschino liqueur and lime.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 1, 2017
There are more than 100 varieties of the plant, tens of which are used in mescal production, but most of which only grow in the wild.
From Slate ● Dec. 12, 2016
Besides all these were massive biznagas, cholas, bear-grass or palmilla, and the mescal, supplying the principal vegetable food of the Apaches.
From Ranching, Sport and Travel by Thomas Carson
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