açaí

American  

[ah-sah-ee, ah-sahy-ee] / ˌɑ sɑˈi, ˌɑ saɪˈi /

Or acai

noun

1. the deep purple, edible berry of a Central and South American palm tree, Euterpe oleracea.

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açaí British  

/ asai /

noun

1. Also called: palm berry.  a berry that grows on palm trees in the Brazilian rainforests. Because it is rich in nutrients, it is used to make energy drinks

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Etymology

Origin of açaí

First recorded in 1850–60; from Portuguese açaí, earlier açay, assaí, uaçay, from either Tupi ïwasaí (unrecorded) or a similar source in the Tupi-Guarani family

Example Sentences

Workers discovered blending açaí bowls to order would take too long.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 23, 2025

If açaí production was expanded into many industrial-size plantations, it could start to cause exactly the same problems that people like Damien are trying to solve.

From BBC • Nov. 16, 2025

Its branches bear clusters of between 500 to 900 fruits, hanging up to 80 feet from the ground—making it risky for açaí pickers to climb the tree and access the fruit.

From National Geographic • Dec. 14, 2023

This has gone on for so long now that we should have an annual goodbye-West festival with health-abetting foods such as kale and açaí.

From Washington Post • Oct. 23, 2022

The term “spa food” conjures healthful things: smoothies, grain bowls, earnestly invented compilations involving açaí, whatever that is, and frilly green things, likely uncooked and pounded into submission by someone in yoga pants.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 8, 2019