of or relating to cocoa.
of the color of cocoa.
a powder made from cocoa beans after they have been roasted, ground, and freed from most of their fatty oil
a hot or cold drink made from cocoa and milk or water
a light to moderate brown colour
( as adjective )
cocoa paint
First recorded in 1700–10; earlier cocao, cacoa, variant of cacao
The dark, chocolate-brown powder you use to make brownies or devil's food cake is called cocoa. Cocoa consists of finely ground roasted cacao beans. You can use cocoa to make many chocolate treats, including pudding, cake, cookies, and hot chocolate — which is also called cocoa. Although cocoa powder smells delicious, it has to be mixed with sugar or some other sweetener for it to taste good. When the word cocoa was first used in the early 18th century, it was based on a mistake, mixing up the letters of cacao, the seed that's used to make cocoa.
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Shortly after Ghana started taking in west African deportees, Washington reversed its visa restrictions and lifted a 15 percent tariff on its cocoa and agricultural exports.
From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026
They reminisce about the brown bread: those sweet, dark little wheat loaves scented with honey, molasses, cocoa powder and espresso.
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
To do it, Mars blends sugar, cocoa and other ingredients into a mixture that hardens into the candy’s solid core.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
Wheat, rice, cotton, sugar, cocoa and palm-oil production may be hit the hardest, Marex analysts wrote in a recent report called “El Niño and Agriculture: Weather Shocks, Supply Risk and Market Pricing.”
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 8, 2026
Toward the end of the day, more bedpans, the emptying of sputum mugs, the making of cocoa.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
Cocoa is on course to rise by 15% after hitting its highest level in over three months this week, though prices are unlikely to return to levels seen in 2025, analysts say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
The Coffee and Cocoa Council sets the price in Ivory Coast and licenses a number of co-operatives and companies to export the dried beans.
From BBC ● Mar. 8, 2026
In response to the hardship faced by producers, the state's Coffee Cocoa Council announced in January it would buy at the record price tens of thousands of tonnes of cocoa piling up across the country.
From Barron's ● Mar. 4, 2026
Cocoa behaved differently, with elevated levels in stems, leaves, and fruits.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 17, 2026
I love Cocoa and Cleo, but I’d rather just deal with my tears.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
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.
