mesquite

¹ American  

[me-skeet, mes-keet] / mɛˈskit, ˈmɛs kit /

Or mesquit

noun

1. any of several usually spiny trees or shrubs belonging to the genus Prosopis, of the legume family, as P. juliflora or P. glandulosa, of western North America, having bipinnate leaves and beanlike pods and often forming dense thickets.

2. the wood of such a tree or shrub, used especially in grilling or barbecuing food.

3. any of various similar or related plants.

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Mesquite ² American  

[me-skeet, mi-] / mɛˈskit, mɪ- /

noun

1. a city in NE Texas, E of Dallas.

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mesquite British  

/ mɛˈskiːt, ˈmɛskiːt /

noun

1. Also called: algarroba.   honey locust.   honey mesquite.  any small leguminous tree of the genus Prosopis, esp the tropical American P. juliflora, whose sugary pods ( mesquite beans ) are used as animal fodder

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Etymology

Origin of mesquite

1830–40, < Mexican Spanish mezquite < Nahuatl mizquitl

Example Sentences

Birds sing among dense copses of mesquite trees; flowers hang heavily from bushes; ocelots and jaguars pass through.

From Slate • May 26, 2025

It’s three miles from there to State Route 92, a trek through mesquite and grassland, floodplains and furrows that serve as a rough-hewn pathway to the two-lane blacktop and the interior that lies beyond.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2025

Asada is our new spice blend for grilling — smoky with chiles, mesquite and pimenton, it’s also the perfect seasoning for homemade tacos and vegetable dishes such as calabacitas.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 3, 2024

About 100 native trees, including desert willows, ironwoods and mesquite, were donated by a local nursery and planted.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 18, 2024

In the Southwest an estimated 75 million acres of mesquite lands require management by some means, and chemical spraying is the method most actively pushed.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson