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

And in November 2024, two trucks carrying Santo tequila, valued at about $1 million, did not make it to their destination. —Mike Snider, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026

Try the Lockdown, which features tequila, coffee, black tea, and cacao. —Tamara Hinson, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2026

Highlights from the bar include the Astra, which comes with a blend of tequila, blackberries, edible glitter and a rock candy, and a martini flight that consists of three different martinis and a side of caviar. —Zacharia Washington, Dallas Morning News, 24 Mar. 2026

O’Sullivan keeps his Apple TV boxes, EverPass set, DirecTV receiver, and the knob-pocked board connecting them, along with more than a dozen cables, behind the bar, not far from the receipt printer—and the tequila. —Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 23 Mar. 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