mesquite

Where does the word "mesquite" come from? It comes from Nahuatl mizquitl, passing through Mexican Spanish before entering English (1759).

Mesquite’s story begins in Nahuatl: mizquitl meant “the mesquite tree.” The name for the thorny, drought-resistant tree of the American southwest. By 1600s-1700s, the word had taken hold in Mexican Spanish as mezquite. Adapted from Nahuatl by Spanish-speaking settlers. It reached English by 1759 as mesquite. Mesquite wood smoke flavours Texas barbecue. Today, mesquite means a thorny tree of the American southwest, its wood often used for grilling.

1. Stage 1 · Nahuatl · medieval mizquitl "the mesquite tree", the name for the thorny, drought-resistant tree of the American southwest.
2. Stage 2 · Mexican Spanish · 1600s-1700s mezquite "the mesquite tree", adapted from Nahuatl by Spanish-speaking settlers.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1759 mesquite "a thorny, drought-resistant tree", mesquite wood smoke flavours Texas barbecue.