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
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.
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
"There's a lot of superfoods in the forest that people don't know," says Max Petrucci, founder of a local company Mahta that sells powdered cacao and Brazil nuts for shakes.
From BBC • Nov. 16, 2025
He is too busy with the cacao harvest.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
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.
