Sisal is a Central American plant with long, stiff leaves. People pull a strong fibre out of those leaves, and that fibre is also called sisal. The fibre is made into rope, twine, mats, and the scratchy stuff on a cat’s scratching post. It feels rough, not soft like cotton. You meet the word in farming, crafts, and shops that sell rope — not in everyday chat, unless you are buying string. The plant likes hot, dry ground and looks a little like a big agave.