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, the main ingredient in chocolate, has been showing up at an increasing number of wellness events in the L.A. area in recent years.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2025
Cacao farming was more than just a job - it was a way of life.
From BBC • Nov. 25, 2023
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 growers rely on another tiny ally to pollinate their crop.
From Salon • Apr. 6, 2023
COCOA,1 more properly Cacao, a valuable dietary substance yielded by the seeds of several small trees belonging to the genus Theobroma, of the natural order Sterculiaceae.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 6 "Cockaigne" to "Columbus, Christopher" by Various
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.
