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decaf

American  
[dee-kaf] / ˈdiˌkæf /

noun

  1. decaffeinated coffee or tea.

adjective

  1. decaffeinated.

decaf British  
/ ˈdiːkæf /

noun

  1. decaffeinated coffee

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. decaffeinated

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of decaf

By shortening

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 simple things like swapping for decaf, also swapping fizzy drinks, alcohol, even green tea, for water and diluted juices will, after two weeks, make a massive improvement."

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

I recently stopped drinking caffeine, but I couldn’t kick the ritual, so I have a decaf latte every single morning I make at home with my little Nespresso pods.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026

But if she has any coffee while here, she’s planning to stick with decaf.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2025

In the Plus bonus episode: Will a new CEO be a much-needed espresso shot for Starbucks…or another stale cup of decaf?

From Slate • Aug. 24, 2024

I sip my decaf caramel macchiato, feeling absolutely lousy.

From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée

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.