When you hear 'agave' are you hearing English or Greek?

'Agave' is a word borrowed from Greek 'agauós'. The word entered the English language some time around 1763.

agave [noun] [1763]

Any of a genus ( of the family Agavaceae, the agave family) of plants having spiny-margined leaves and flowers in tall ...
Etymology: New Latin 'Agave' genus name, from Latin, a daughter of Cadmus, from Greek 'Agauē'.

Topics: Science:Botany.

Origin: From Greek to English.

note: Linguistic Path: Ancient Greek (ἀγαυός / agauós) → New Latin (Agave) → English.Meaning & History: The Greek root agauós means noble illustrious or admirable. In Greek mythology Agave was also the daughter of Cadmus and the mother of Pentheus. In 1753 the famous Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus chose the name Agave for the plant genus likely due to its majestic tall flower spikes and immense utility to indigenous peoples.

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