maguey

noun

ma·​guey mə-ˈgā 

1

: any of various fleshy-leaved agaves (such as the century plant)

2

: any of several hard fibers derived from magueys

especially : cantala

Examples of maguey in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At the restaurant, open and buzzing with customers since 1969, cooks combine a mixture of beef cheeks and meat from the head, wrap it in a maguey leaf, place a cow tongue on top, and steam it (the tongue is served separately). —Edmund Tijerina, Bon Appétit, 27 Feb. 2025

The maguey imparts a subtly vegetal flavor, and cooks reserve just enough fat so that each bite of meat is unctuous. —Edmund Tijerina, Bon Appétit, 27 Feb. 2025

That will include a Mezcal service, which includes a small bottle of the smokey Mexican spirit, served with different salts including nutty maguey worm salt, hibiscus salt, Chicatana ant salt and others. —Mackensy Lunsford, The Tennessean, 11 Oct. 2024

Traditionally, it’s wrapped in the thin film sourced from the stalks of maguey plants such as agave, and then steamed or cooked in a pit. —Paola Briseño-Gonzalez, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Taino

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

maguey

noun

ma·​guey mə-ˈgā 

plural magueys

1

: any of various agaves (as the century plant) with fleshy leaves

2

: any of several hard fibers obtained from magueys