noun
peyote
pay-OH-tee/peɪˈəʊti/
A small cactus containing mescaline.
Peyote grows close to the ground in dry, rocky soil.
Etymology
Nahuatl peyotl is said to mean “caterpillar.” On that explanation, the cactus takes its name from the downy button on top, rather than from its hallucinogenic effects.
In context
using peyote for religious purposes many want to try it recreationally so when they find it in the desert they poach it all of this human interference means that the peyote population has become a vulnerable species
More examples
- A small pink flower blooms at the center of the peyote.
- These peyotes grow slowly and need very little water.
- Mescaline occurs naturally in peyote.
Forms
peyote · peyotes
Similar words
- cactus
- Cactus names a broader group, not specifically this mescaline-containing plant.