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Glite Dictionary
Agave atrovirens

Agave atrovirens

9.4
A large Mexican plant with thick leaves used to make the drinks pulque and mezcal
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : agave atrovirens
  • Traditional Mexican farmers cultivated Agave atrovirens to produce pulque for ceremonial occasions.

Examples

  • Mezcal made from Agave atrovirens is prized for its distinctive flavor.

  • The large leaves of Agave atrovirens are often harvested for their valuable sap.

  • The Agave atrovirens plant thrives in arid conditions.

  • Many bartenders prefer Agave atrovirens for making mezcal.

  • Mezcal made from Agave atrovirens is prized for its distinctive flavor.

  • Traditional Mexican farmers cultivated Agave atrovirens to produce pulque for ceremonial occasions.

  • Many bartenders prefer Agave atrovirens for making mezcal.

Synonyms

maguey
vsAgave atrovirens
  • Specialized
9.9

A Mexican plant with thick leaves used to make pulque and mescal

is the specific species name for that plant

Surface Forms

Agave atrovirens singular
Agave atrovirenses plural

Morphology

Agave + atrovirens

This is a Latin binomial: 'Agave' names the genus and 'atrovirens' is a species epithet, so a learner who knows both constituents would recognize it as a particular kind of agave (i.e., a species). However, the specific cultural/encyclopedic details (native range, use for pulque/mezcal) are not derivable from the parts, and the epithet itself is Latin rather than common English, so full meaning is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Agave atrovirens comes from Latin: agave is the plant group and atrovirens means 'dark green'. That image of a big, dark-green agave helps you remember that this Mexican plant's sap is used to make 'pulque' and the liquor 'mezcal'.