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
But within minutes of hiking into the desert, creosote bushes and mesquite pull the sand into disorienting mounds that can, without warning, block the view in every direction.
—
Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 2 June 2025
The water looks tropical at first, almost Caribbean, but the landscape beside it is marked with mesquite and cactus.
—Outside Online, 29 May 2025
Trees like Texas ebony and mesquite that have thorns to protect them from munching animals and long roots to tap moisture deep within the earth.
—Laura Mallonee, Wired News, 12 Apr. 2025
For this vintage-style view camera, Belger crafted the body from local Arizona mesquite and juniper and installed a late-19th-century French landscape lens in front, to give the prints a timeless feel.
—Ted Scheinman, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2025
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Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 2 June 2025
The water looks tropical at first, almost Caribbean, but the landscape beside it is marked with mesquite and cactus.
—Outside Online, 29 May 2025
Trees like Texas ebony and mesquite that have thorns to protect them from munching animals and long roots to tap moisture deep within the earth.
—Laura Mallonee, Wired News, 12 Apr. 2025
For this vintage-style view camera, Belger crafted the body from local Arizona mesquite and juniper and installed a late-19th-century French landscape lens in front, to give the prints a timeless feel.
—Ted Scheinman, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 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 18 Jun. 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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