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.名詞B1
釋義

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

例句

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

同義詞
  • 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

用法筆記

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'.

常見錯誤

❌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.名詞B1
釋義

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

例句

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

同義詞
  • 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

用法筆記

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

常見錯誤

❌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.