tequila

noun

te·​qui·​la tə-ˈkē-lə 

tā-

plural tequilas

: a Mexican liquor made chiefly from the fermented sap of the blue agave that has been subjected to two separate distillations

Tequila is a form of mezcal that enjoys a regional appellation—it must be produced in Tequila, Jalisco (a state in Mexico), entirely from the nectar from the blue agave plant.

—Justin Grant

The most important difference between fine tequila and ordinary tequila is that the good stuff is made from 100 percent blue agave—the desert succulent that is pressure cooked, then fermented.

—Food & Wine

Note: Tequila is often distinguished from other mezcals because it can only be made from the blue agave and has more restrictive guidelines regarding its production.

"We're going to offer wine, beer, cocktails, a lot of tequila and mezcal, and margaritas on tap," said [bar] owner Patrick Todd.

—Jordyn Noennig

Examples of tequila in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Party people lounged on the dock, their legs dangling over turquoise water, while tequila flowed freely. —Serena Turner, Vanity Fair, 15 June 2026

Follow along for more award-winning expressions of tequila and how to find them in the US and beyond. —Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026

Freezer Margarita To turn our Texas Margarita into a freezer door cocktail, start with a 750-milliliter bottle with 9 ounces of balanco tequila. —Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 13 June 2026

Casamigos is an ultra-premium tequila and mezcal brand cofounded in 2013 by actor George Clooney. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 12 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Tequila, town in Jalisco state, Mexico

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tequila

• tequila sunrise

Rhymes for tequila

• drosophila
• philomela
• sheila

Kids Definition

tequila

noun

te·​qui·​la tə-ˈkē-lə 

tā-

: a Mexican liquor made from the fermented juice of an agave