noun

sisal

SIGH-sul/ˈsaɪsl/

A strong fiber taken from an agave's leaves.

The workshop uses sisal to make strong rope and durable mats.

A small sisal agave beside a cut leaf with exposed pale fibers, a loose bundle of extracted fibers, and a short coil of rope, showing the plant material and its practical use.

Etymology

Sisal names the Yucatán port from which the fiber was exported. Shortened from “Sisal hemp” or “Sisal grass,” the word identifies the material by its shipping point.

More examples

This rug is woven from sisal.
Our cat sharpens her claws on a post wrapped in sisal.
Workers extract sisal from the long leaves of an agave.

Similar words

hemp: A strong fiber from cannabis stems, rather than agave leaves.
jute: A softer stem fiber commonly used for burlap and sacks.