the root of any of various plants of the SW U.S. and Mexico, used as a substitute for soap
any of these plants, esp. the soap plant
Origin:
MexSp < Nahuatl a:molli, lit., soap-root
See amole in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
The root, bulb, or another plant part of several chiefly western North American plants, such as certain species of Agave,Chlorogalum, and Yucca, used as a substitute for soap.