cacao

American  

[kuh-kah-oh, -key-oh] / kəˈkɑ oʊ, -ˈkeɪ oʊ /

noun

cacaos plural

1. a small tropical American evergreen tree, Theobroma cacao, cultivated for its seeds, the source of cocoa, chocolate, etc.

2. Also the fruit or seeds of this tree.

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cacao British  

/ kəˈkɑːəʊ, -ˈkeɪəʊ /

noun

1. 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

2. another name for cocoa bean

3. another name for cocoa butter

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• cacaos
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cacao cacaos

She leads cacao ceremonies, sound baths, and energy work sessions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026

So that’s where we’re working in sectors like cacao.

From Barron's ● May 14, 2026

I always get the Andante, a cold brew with maple syrup, salted sweet cream foam, cacao powder and pink salt.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2026

For an indulgent breakfast option, she suggests making a tiramisu chia seed pudding with freshly-brewed espresso, oat milk, chia seeds, granola crumbles and a cacao dusting.

From Salon ● Jan. 17, 2026

Pedrito folded his arms and walked off into his cacao fields.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez

When the bananas grow old, they should be carefully felled, lest the cacaos should be injured by their accidental fall.

From The Commercial Products of the Vegetable Kingdom Considered in Their Various Uses to Man and in Their Relation to the Arts and Manufactures; Forming a Practical Treatise & Handbook of Reference for the Colonist, Manufacturer, Merchant, and Consumer, on the Cultivation, Preparation for Shipment, and Commercial Value, &c. of the Various Substances Obtained From Trees and Plants, Entering into the Husbandry of Tropical and Sub-tropical Regions, &c. by Simmonds, P. L.

The two principal cacaos are known as Arriba and Machala, or classed together as Guayaquil after the city of that name.

From Cocoa and Chocolate Their History from Plantation to Consumer by Knapp, Arthur William

These cacaos serve amongst them both for meat and money ...

From The Food of the Gods A Popular Account of Cocoa by Head, Brandon

On the morning of the sale samples of the cacaos are on exhibit at the principal brokers.

From Cocoa and Chocolate Their History from Plantation to Consumer by Knapp, Arthur William

In one range of cacao trees a banana is placed between two cacaos, and an erythrina between the two following.

From The Commercial Products of the Vegetable Kingdom Considered in Their Various Uses to Man and in Their Relation to the Arts and Manufactures; Forming a Practical Treatise & Handbook of Reference for the Colonist, Manufacturer, Merchant, and Consumer, on the Cultivation, Preparation for Shipment, and Commercial Value, &c. of the Various Substances Obtained From Trees and Plants, Entering into the Husbandry of Tropical and Sub-tropical Regions, &c. by Simmonds, P. L.