sisal
/ˈsʌɪs(ə)l
/noun [mass noun]
1A Mexican agave with large fleshy leaves, cultivated for fibre production.
- Agave sisalana, family Agavaceae.
- Some commercial agricultural products, such as sisal, coffee, and cotton, are sold.
- Commercial farming of cotton, pineapples, and sisal has had little success.
1.1The fibre made from the sisal plant, used especially for ropes or matting.He had noticed that the thick sisal rope had been cut halfway through with a sharp instrument, probably a knife....
- American companies little by little took control of the Mexican supply, making sisal twine cheaper and more reliable than it had been.
- Products made out of biodegradable materials like sisal and areca spathes were also on show at the Town Hall.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from Sisal, the name of a port in Yucatán, Mexico.