tapioca

American  

[tap-ee-oh-kuh] / ˌtæp iˈoʊ kə /

noun

1. a food substance prepared from cassava in granular, flake, pellet pearl tapioca, or flour form, used in puddings, as a thickener, etc.

---

tapioca British  

/ ˌtæpɪˈəʊkə /

noun

1. a beadlike starch obtained from cassava root, used in cooking as a thickening agent, esp in puddings

---

Etymology

Origin of tapioca

First recorded in 1605–15; from Portuguese, from Tupi tipioca, more literally, “pulp squeezed out” (of cassava plants), from tipi “dregs, residue” + oca “to squeeze out”

Explanation

Tapioca is a starchy grain that comes from the cassava plant. Tapioca is sometimes processed in small round balls, like the ones you'll find in tapioca pudding, or larger spheres, like the ones in Asian bubble tea. People in tropical countries often rely on tapioca as a staple food, although it doesn't provide much in the way of nutrients. Tapioca can also be used in cooking to thicken desserts and sauces, particularly in its powdered form. Tapioca comes from a Tupi word, tipioca, "juice of pressed cassava," from the roots tipi, "residue," and ok, "to squeeze."

Example Sentences

Tapioca pearls have appeared on imaging scans of patients who were hospitalized for unrelated reasons.

From Science Daily • Mar. 1, 2026

He liked to play basketball and worked at a Tapioca Express boba shop.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2023

At Tapioca Express, I scanned the menu in English and Chinese, imagining my taste buds’ reaction to avocado or taro flavors.

From Washington Post • Mar. 3, 2016

To bolster the credibility of Tapioca View’s i.o.u., footnotes on financial filings show, Cape Verity I then issued a $499 million note of its own, and gave it to Tapioca View.

From New York Times • Apr. 11, 2015

Tapioca is a very delightful food for invalids.

From The Ladies Book of Useful Information Compiled from many sources by Anonymous