chocolate

American  

[chaw-kuh-lit, chok-uh-, chawk-lit, chok-] / ˈtʃɔ kə lɪt, ˈtʃɒk ə-, ˈtʃɔk lɪt, ˈtʃɒk- /

noun

chocolates plural

1. a preparation of the seeds of cacao, roasted, husked, and ground, often sweetened and flavored, as with vanilla.

2. a beverage made by dissolving such a preparation in milk or water, served hot or cold.

   a cup of hot chocolate.

3. candy made from such a preparation.

4. an individual piece of this candy.

5. any syrup or flavoring made from this preparation or artificially imitating its flavor.

6. a dark brown color.

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adjective

1. made, flavored, or covered with chocolate.

   chocolate cake; chocolate ice cream.

2. having the color of chocolate; dark-brown.

chocolate British  

/ -lət, ˈtʃɒklɪt, ˈtʃɒkəlɪt /

noun

1. a food preparation made from roasted ground cacao seeds, usually sweetened and flavoured

2. a drink or sweetmeat made from this

3. 1. a moderate to deep brown colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      a chocolate carpet

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Usage

Spelling tips for chocolate The word chocolate is hard to spell because the second o is often not emphasized when pronounced—many people say [ chawk-lit ], not [ chok-uh-lit ]. Also, the final syllable -late is pronounced [ lit ], not like the word late. How to spell chocolate: You can remember how the word chocolate starts by remembering that it is sometimes abbreviated as choco, as in choco chips and Choco Taco. You can remember the ending by remembering that chocolate is often eaten as dessert, meaning that it’s eaten late.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• chocolatey
  adjective
• chocolaty
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• chocolates
  plural

Etymology

Origin of chocolate

First recorded in 1600–1610; from Spanish, from Nahuatl chocolātl, from chocol-, of unknown meaning (but perhaps from xococ “bitter, sour”) + ātl “water”

Explanation

Chocolate needs little introduction or definition — it is world famous as a candy, dessert ingredient, hot drink, holiday gift, flavor, and common craving. Roasted cacao beans make chocolate. If you say, "I want chocolate," this usually means a candy bar or piece of chocolate, though chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream, and chocolate shakes all have chocolate as an ingredient. If someone tells you, "My living room is chocolate," don't get too excited — it means the walls are painted the same rich brown as the delicious treat.

Example Sentences

There’s, of course, Giada, whose recipes for Tiramisu Cupcakes and a Hazelnut Crunch Cake with Mascarpone and Chocolate are also simplified with store-bought cake mix.

From Salon • Jun. 14, 2026

The streaming company said it is working with Ferrero Group to bring Charlie and the Chocolate Factory offerings to market, beginning with 10 seasonal and limited-edition chocolates, plus sugar confectionery, ice cream, and cereals.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

Wilson was born in Trinidad and played in bands including The Flames, The Souvenirs, and The Corduroys before forming Hot Chocolate with his friend Errol Brown in the late 1960s.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

Golden tickets unlocked a world of candy and magic in ‘Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.’

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Give me your gold, your wand, and your Chocolate Frogs!

From "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" by J.K. Rowling

Related Words

• candy
• confection
• dessert
• snack