a spineless globe-shaped cactus, Lophophora williamsii, of Mexico and the southwestern US. Its button-like tubercles (mescal buttons) contain mescaline and are chewed by certain Native American tribes for their hallucinogenic effects
2.
a colourless alcoholic spirit distilled from the fermented juice of certain agave plants
Word origin
C19: from American Spanish, from Nahuatl mexcalli the liquor, from metlmaguey + ixcalli stew