Mesquite
/məˈskiːt/noun
A thorny tree or shrub of the genus Prosopis, especially one common in arid regions of the southwestern United States and Mexico.
Did you know?Mesquite pods were traditionally ground into flour or fermented into drinks by Indigenous peoples of the Southwest, making the tree an important food source rather than merely desert scrub.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian period
Nahuatl
mizquitl
“Mesquite tree; the exact internal meaning of the Nahuatl form is uncertain.”
16th Century
Spanish
mezquite
“The mesquite tree, borrowed from Nahuatl during Spanish colonization of Mexico.”
16th–17th Century
Spanish
mesquite
“A thorny tree of arid Mexico and neighboring regions; spelling varied between mezquite and mesquite.”
18th Century
English
mesquite
“A name for the tree introduced into English through Spanish usage in the American Southwest.”
Modern English
English
mesquite
“A Prosopis tree or shrub, also referring to its wood, pods, smoke, or flavor.”