Definition of tequila

The word "tequila" originated from the Spanish language and has its roots in the Nahuatl, a pre-Hispanic language spoken by the indigenous peoples of Mexico. The first recorded use of the word "tequila" can be traced back to 1606, when Spanish conquistadors encountered the indigenous village of Tequ Electzalli in the western Mexican state of Jalisco. The locals in this village used the agave plant, which grew abundantly in the region, to make a fermented drink that was considered sacred and used in various rituals and ceremonies. The Spanish named this drink "mezcal de Tequesquitengo," as "tequesquitengo" was the name of another nearby village, and the word "mezcal" means "cooked alcohol" in Nahuatl. Over time, this name evolved into "tequila," which derives from "tequitl," a Nahuatl word for the agave plant itself. Ultimately, tequila became popular worldwide, thanks in part to the Mexican government's legal protection and promotion of the Tequila Appellation of Origin in the 1970s, which enforced strict quality controls and restricted the term "tequila" to a specific region in Mexico.