coconut

American  

[koh-kuh-nuht, -nuht] / ˈkoʊ kəˌnʌt, -nət /

Sometimes cocoanut

noun

1. the large, hard-shelled seed of the coconut palm, lined with a white edible meat, and containing a milky liquid.

2. the meat of the coconut, often shredded and used in cooking, as a flavoring, and as a dessert topping.

3. coconut palm.

4. Slang: Disparaging and Offensive. a person of color, especially a person of Latin American or South Asian origin or descent, who is regarded as having adopted the attitudes, values, and behavior thought to be characteristic of middle-class white society, at the expense of their ethnic heritage.

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coconut British  

/ ˈkəʊkəˌnʌt /

noun

1. the fruit of the coconut palm, consisting of a thick fibrous oval husk inside which is a thin hard shell enclosing edible white meat. The hollow centre is filled with a milky fluid ( coconut milk )

2. 1. the meat of the coconut, often shredded and used in cakes, curries, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      coconut cake

3. slang a black or Asian person who conforms to white culture at the expense of his or her ancestral culture, the idea being that, like a coconut, he or she is dark on the outside and white on the inside

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Etymology

Origin of coconut

First recorded in 1605–15; coco + nut

Example Sentences

"It's suffocating," the 36-year-old coconut seller told AFP in Chiang Mai, a tourist destination among the areas affected by dangerous pollution levels this week.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

There’s usually something creamy or structured at its base — beans, coconut milk, yogurt — to give it body.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

The sweet potato coconut soup hit the spot.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Arthur Kesselhaut, now 95, still works a couple of days a week at the company, calling customers and ordering the sugar for its sweetened coconut product.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Nim exclaimed after the fifth piece of coconut, but Fred went on eating.

From "Nim’s Island" by Wendy Orr

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