[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/mesquite/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [M](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/m/) / mesquite

# mesquite

noun (a mesquite, mesquites; mesquite – the wood, uncountable)

«mesquite» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A spiny shrub or small tree of the pea family that grows in deserts and dry lands of the south-western USA and Mexico, with long seed pods. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mesquite/#m1)
2. The wood of this tree, used to give a smoky flavour to barbecued food. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mesquite/#m2)

### In the lessons

In geography and science lessons about deserts, mesquite is a desert survivor: its roots can go very deep (sometimes over 50 metres) to reach water. Native peoples ground its pods into flour. In cooking, «mesquite-grilled» food is cooked over mesquite wood. In Australia, mesquite was brought in and is now a harmful weed. Phrases: «mesquite tree», «mesquite smoke».

### Examples

- Mesquite trees grow in the deserts of Mexico and the USA. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mesquite/#x1)
- Mesquite roots reach deep underground for water. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mesquite/#x2)
- The barbecue was flavoured with mesquite wood. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mesquite/#x3)
- Native Americans made flour from mesquite pods. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mesquite/#x4)
- Cattle eat mesquite pods in dry seasons. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mesquite/#x5)
- In Australia, mesquite is a weed that spreads quickly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mesquite/#x6)
- The desert road was lined with thorny mesquite. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mesquite/#x7)
- Mesquite-smoked chicken has a strong flavour. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mesquite/#x8)

### Note

Countable for trees, uncountable for the wood. Pronounced «mes-KEET». A loanword from Spanish, from the Aztec language Nahuatl. Not a maths word.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «mesquite» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mesquite/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«mesquite» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/mesquite.html) on Mova free.