Illustration of mesquite
- 1 flower and leaves
- 2 pod
: any of several spiny leguminous trees or shrubs (genus Prosopis and especially P. glandulosa) chiefly of the southwestern U.S. that often form extensive thickets and have sweet pods eaten by livestock
also
: the wood of the mesquite used especially in grilling food
Examples of mesquite in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There are many wood chip flavors on the market, but the most popular varieties are apple, cherry, hickory, mesquite and pecan.
—
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
The landscape around him was parched and coated in a layer of pale-green mesquite, the vast horizon punctuated by oil pumps, processing tanks, and natural-gas flares.
—Mitch Moxley, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
Common edible plants in Arizona include prickly pear, saguaro fruit, and mesquite pods, but many native plants are protected.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 19 Sep. 2025
As more and more birders gathered to see the bird, the animal became more reclusive and hid in a mesquite thicket.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mesquite
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Bestreviews, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
The landscape around him was parched and coated in a layer of pale-green mesquite, the vast horizon punctuated by oil pumps, processing tanks, and natural-gas flares.
—Mitch Moxley, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
Common edible plants in Arizona include prickly pear, saguaro fruit, and mesquite pods, but many native plants are protected.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 19 Sep. 2025
As more and more birders gathered to see the bird, the animal became more reclusive and hid in a mesquite thicket.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mesquite
Cite this Entry
“Mesquite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mesquite. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mesquite
noun
mes·quite
mə-ˈskēt 
me-
: a thorny deep-rooted tree or shrub of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico that belongs to the legume family, produces pods rich in sugar, and is important as food for livestock
also
: the wood of the mesquite used especially in grilling food
Geographical Definition
Mesquite
geographical name
Mes·quite
mə-ˈskēt
me-
city in northeastern Texas east of Dallas population 139,824
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