agave

IPA/əˈɡeɪvi/
IPA/əˈɡɑːvi/

agave — noun

  • agavesingular
  • agavesplural

1. a plant with thick, pointed leaves growing in a circle from the base, found natu

1.nounB1
Definition

a plant with thick, pointed leaves growing in a circle from the base, found naturally in hot, dry parts of the Americas and grown for its fibre, the drink it produces, or as a garden plant

Example

The botanist planted a young agave next to the row of cacti at the research station.

countable: a young agave

Farmers in the highlands of Oaxaca have grown agave for hundreds of years to make a traditional alcoholic drink.

collocation: grow agave

Common collocations
  • grow agave
  • agave plant
  • agave leaves
  • wild agave
  • agave species
  • potted agave
  • agave fibre
Synonyms
  • century plant

    common name for some agave species that flower only once after many years; less precise than 'agave'

  • succulent

    broader category of water-storing plants that includes agaves; useful when the exact species is unknown

Usage Note

Agave is the name of both the plant genus and its individual members. In everyday English, 'an agave' or 'agave plants' is more natural than 'agaves'.

Common Mistakes

Agave is a type of cactus.
Agave is a succulent plant, not a cactus.
Agaves look similar to cacti but belong to the asparagus family and store water in their fleshy leaves, not in a stem.

2. a thick, sweet syrup taken from the core of the agave plant, often used in place

2.nounB1
Definition

a thick, sweet syrup taken from the core of the agave plant, often used in place of sugar or honey to sweeten food and drinks

Example

Diego stirred a spoonful of agave into his iced tea instead of white sugar.

collocation: spoonful of agave

The label on the bottle read 'organic blue agave nectar — a natural sweetener'.

typical packaging language: blue agave nectar

Common collocations
  • agave syrup
  • agave nectar
  • blue agave
  • using agave
  • sweetened with agave
  • drizzle agave
  • bottle of agave
  • organic agave
Synonyms
  • honey

    similar thickness and sweetness but made by bees, not plants; honey has a stronger flavour

  • maple syrup

    a sweet syrup from maple tree sap; thinner than agave and has a distinct woody taste

  • corn syrup

    a processed sweetener made from corn starch; cheaper but less natural than agave

Usage Note

Agave (sense 2) is an uncountable noun — you say 'some agave' or 'a bottle of agave', never 'an agave' when referring to the sweetener.

Common Mistakes

I bought an agave at the grocery store.' (when meaning the sweetener)
I bought a bottle of agave at the grocery store.
The sweetener is uncountable; use a container word for countability.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Agave, succulent, cactus, yucca, and century plant all refer to plants that thrive in dry climates, but each has a distinct meaning. 'Succulent' is the broadest term — any plant with thick, fleshy parts that store water. 'Cactus' describes a specific family (Cactaceae) with areoles (small cushion-like structures) and spines; agaves lack areoles so they are not cacti. 'Yucca' is a close relative in the asparagus family; both have rosettes of sword-shaped leaves, but yucca leaves are typically narrower and less fleshy than agave leaves. 'Century plant' is a common name for certain agave species (notably Agave americana) that flower once at the end of their long life. A gardener might say 'I planted a succulent garden with agaves and yuccas' — this correctly groups them by drought tolerance while acknowledging they are different genera.

succulent ↗cactus ↗yuccacentury plant

Common collocations

Phrases

  • blue agave
  • agave-based

Etymology

GreekLatinSpanishEnglish

The word 'agave' comes from Spanish, which took it from Latin 'Agave', the name of a genus created by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus. Linnaeus borrowed the name from Greek mythology: Agave (Ἀγαύη, Agaue) was the daughter of Cadmus and the mother of Pentheus. Her name means 'noble' or 'illustrious' in Greek. The plant was given this name because its tall, impressive flower stalks were seen as a fitting match for the legendary figure.