chocolate

American  

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

noun

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

• chocolatey adjective
• chocolaty adjective

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

Since 2010, chocolate has lost the most ground among snack categories, with their share in total snack consumption down 2.6 percentage points, analyst John Baumgartner wrote in a Friday note.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

The one that appears alongside onion petals, Monte Cristos and a molten chocolate lava cake that arrives under a small weather system of powdered sugar.

From Salon • Apr. 7, 2026

Smith told the paper one of the chocolate eggs broke and he picked a piece and "threw it out of frustration" towards some shopping trolleys.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

Easter baskets might be lighter on chocolate bunnies and eggs this year as consumers are balking at what they’re being asked to pay for the candy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

She patted his hand and went back to nibbling her chocolate.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• candy
• confection
• dessert
• snack