cacao
Americannoun
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a small tropical American evergreen tree, Theobroma cacao, cultivated for its seeds, the source of cocoa, chocolate, etc.
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Also the fruit or seeds of this tree.
noun
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a small tropical American evergreen tree, Theobroma cacao, having yellowish flowers and reddish-brown seed pods from which cocoa and chocolate are prepared: family Sterculiaceae
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another name for cocoa bean
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another name for cocoa butter
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of cacao
First recorded in 1545–55; from Spanish, from Nahuatl cacahuatl “cacao seeds”
Explanation
Cacao is the tropical tree whose beans turn into the chocolate we all love. Cacao beans go on a journey to become everything from rich chocolate bars to your cozy cup of hot cocoa. Cacao beans grow in the pods of the cacao tree, which thrives in the lush climates of the tropics. The beans undergo a transformation through fermentation, drying, and roasting, unlocking their deep, rich flavors essential for chocolate making. Historically, cacao was so prized that the ancient Maya and Aztecs used it as money. From these precious beans, we get cocoa powder and chocolate, making cacao essential for every hot cocoa and chocolate chip cookie we savor. And don't forget about cocoa butter, which is used for all sorts of things from cooking and medicine to skin care and cosmetics.
Vocabulary lists containing cacao
South America - Middle School
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South America - Introductory
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English Words Derived from Nahuatl
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Cacao farmers are among the poorest agricultural workers in the world.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2025
Most modern-day cacao ceremonies trace their origin to Keith Wilson, a geologist, adventurer and founder of Keith’s Cacao, who became known as the “Chocolate Shaman.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2025
Vigils have been held in other parts of Serbia, including the central town of Cacao and Novi Sad in the north.
From Reuters • May 6, 2023
Cacao flowers are also short-lived, typically receptive to pollen for only one or two days.
From Scientific American • Feb. 14, 2023
Cacao kernels were used as tokens and cacao plantations were entailed property.
From The Old English Herbals by Rohde, Eleanour Sinclair
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
