mesquite

mes·quite

noun \mə-ˈskēt, me-\

Definition of MESQUITE

: any of several spiny leguminous trees or shrubs (genus Prosopis and especially P. glandulosa) chiefly of the southwestern United States that often form extensive thickets and have sweet pods eaten by livestock; also : the wood of the mesquite used especially in grilling food

Illustration of MESQUITE

Origin of MESQUITE

American Spanish, from Nahuatl mizquitl

First Known Use: 1759

Rhymes with MESQUITE

accrete, aesthete, afreet, athlete, backbeat, backseat, backstreet, bedsheet, bench seat, big beat, bolete, box pleat, box seat, break beat, broadsheet, browbeat, buckwheat, bystreet, call sheet, car seat, cheat sheet, clipsheet, cloud street, cold feet, compete, compleat, complete, conceit, concrete, crabmeat, crib sheet, deadbeat, dead heat, dead meat, deceit, defeat, delete, deplete, discreet, discrete, disseat, downbeat, drop seat, drumbeat, dutch treat, effete, elite, en suite, entreat, escheat, excrete, facete, Fleet Street, fly sheet, forcemeat, foresheet, four-peat, gamete, groundsheet, hard wheat, heartbeat, heat-treat, helpmeet, hoofbeat, hot seat, house seat, ice sheet, ill-treat, jump seat, kick pleat, love seat, mainsheet, Main Street, maltreat, mincemeat, mistreat, offbeat, Ossete, petite, pink sheet, preheat, rap sheet, receipt, recheat, red heat, red meat, red wheat, regreet, repeat, replete, retreat, scratch sheet, secrete, side street, slip-sheet, soft wheat, spreadsheet, stand treat, swap meet, sweetmeat, tear sheet, terete, three-peat, through street, time sheet, unmeet, unseat, upbeat, vegete, volkslied, white heat

Mes·quite

geographical name \mə-ˈskēt, me-\

Definition of MESQUITE

city NE Texas E of Dallas pop 124,523

mesquite

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Any of the spiny, deep-rooted shrubs or small trees that make up the genus Prosopis of the pea family (see legume). Mesquites form extensive thickets in areas from South America to the southwestern U.S. Two races occur: one of tall trees (50 ft [15 m]), the other low and far-reaching, called running mesquite. Water-seeking roots grow as deep as 70 ft (20 m). Stems bear compound olive-green to white hairy leaves, then dense, cream-coloured catkins of flowers, followed by clusters of long, narrow, pale yellow beans. In warmer parts of the U.S., mesquites are considered pests and are eradicated. Cattle eat the beans, which contain a sweet pulp. The wood, formerly used in railroad ties, now has value only for unusual furniture and trinkets and as aromatic firewood.