noun
- a plant of the agave family whose roots contain saponins and were traditionally used as soap by Native Americans
Usage: botanical; historical
Examples
- The Navajo people traditionally used amole root to wash their hair.
- Amole grows naturally in the southwestern United States.
- The saponins in amole create a natural lather when mixed with water.
- Native American tribes harvested amole for its cleansing properties.
- The fibrous roots of the amole plant were pounded to release the soap-like compounds.