peyote

Where does the word "peyote" come from? It comes from Nahuatl peyotl, passing through Spanish before entering English (1800s).

Peyote’s story begins in Nahuatl: peyotl meant “peyote cactus.” The name for the small, spineless psychoactive cactus. By 1500s-1600s, the word had taken hold in Spanish as peyote. Nahuatl 'peyotl'; the Huichol still make pilgrimages to gather it. It reached English by 1800s as peyote. The Native American Church, founded in 1918, uses peyote as a sacrament. Today, peyote means a small, spineless cactus containing psychoactive compounds, used ceremonially by some Indigenous peoples.

1. Stage 1 · Nahuatl · pre-1500s peyotl "peyote cactus", the name for the small, spineless psychoactive cactus.
2. Stage 2 · Spanish · 1500s-1600s peyote "peyote cactus", Nahuatl 'peyotl'; the Huichol still make pilgrimages to gather it.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1800s peyote "a small psychoactive cactus used in indigenous ceremonies", the Native American Church, founded in 1918, uses peyote as a sacrament.