peyote
Definition
Noun: 1. A small, spineless, globe-shaped cactus (Lophophora williamsii) native to Mexico and the southwestern United States. This cactus is the source of mescaline. 2. The hallucinogenic drug derived from this cactus, specifically the dried disc-shaped tops (called "mescal buttons") which contain the psychoactive alkaloid mescaline.
Examples
- Noun (referring to the cactus):
- The peyote cactus grows slowly in the deserts of northern Mexico.
- Some Native American tribes have used peyote in religious ceremonies for centuries.
- Noun (referring to the drug):
- The ingestion of peyote can cause vivid visual and auditory hallucinations.
- The ritual involved the ceremonial consumption of peyote.
Advanced Usage
- Cultural and Legal Context: Peyote holds significant religious and ceremonial importance for certain Indigenous cultures, such as the Native American Church. Its use and possession are regulated by specific laws in the United States, often with exemptions for bona fide religious use by members of recognized tribes.
Variants and Related Words
- Mescaline (n): The primary psychoactive alkaloid found in peyote.
- Mescal button (n): The dried, disc-shaped top of the peyote cactus, which is prepared and consumed.
- Lophophora williamsii (n): The botanical (Latin) name for the peyote cactus.
Synonyms
- For the drug: Mescaline (specifically the alkaloid), hallucinogen, psychedelic.
- For the cactus: (No common direct synonym; described by its botanical name or as a "mescaline cactus").
Related Terms
- Entheogen: A substance used in a religious, shamanic, or spiritual context to induce a spiritual experience. Peyote is classified as an entheogen.
- Psychedelic: A class of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness. Peyote is a classic psychedelic substance.
Noun
-
the hallucinatory alkaloid that is the active agent in mescal buttons
-
a small spineless globe-shaped cactus; source of mescal buttons
