agave

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: A=ga=ve

CIDE DICTIONARY

agave, n. [L. Agave, prop. name, fr. Gr. , fem. of illustrious, noble.].

 A genus of plants (order Amaryllidaceæ) of which the chief species is the maguey or century plant (Agave Americana), wrongly called Aloe. It is from ten to seventy years, according to climate, in attaining maturity, when it produces a gigantic flower stem, sometimes forty feet in height, and perishes. The fermented juice is the pulque of the Mexicans; distilled, it yields mescal. A strong thread and a tough paper are made from the leaves, and the wood has many uses.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

agave, n. any plant of the genus Agave, with rosettes of narrow spiny leaves, and tall inflorescences, e.g. the American aloe.

Etymology

L f. Gk Agaue, proper name in myth f. agauos illustrious