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decaffeinate

American  
[dee-kaf-uh-nayt, -kaf-ee-uh-] / diˈkæf əˌneɪt, -ˈkæf i ə- /

verb (used with object)

decaffeinated, decaffeinating
  1. to extract caffeine from.

    to decaffeinate coffee.


decaffeinate British  
/ dɪˈkæfɪˌneɪt /

verb

  1. (tr) to remove all or part of the caffeine from (coffee, tea, etc)

"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

Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of decaffeinate

First recorded in 1925–30; de- + caffein + -ate 1


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.

See Examples For:

After producers decaffeinate coffee beans using methylene chloride, they steam the beans and dry them.

From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2024

The Swiss water method, initially used commercially in the early 1980s, uses hot water to decaffeinate coffee.

From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2024

I found a natural way to decaffeinate a tea: steep for 30 seconds, then toss out the liquid and brew the same tea bag in fresh hot water.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 16, 2023

Founded by Andy Liu, Decafino makes a teabag-like product that can 80 percent decaffeinate any 16-ounce cup of coffee in less than four minutes.

From Slate ● Jan. 11, 2023

Since the early 1900s, many methods have been used to decaffeinate coffee.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

"Our findings suggest that coffee, whether caffeinated or decaffeinated, can influence health in distinct but complementary ways."

From Science Daily ● May 3, 2026

After the abstinence phase, coffee was gradually reintroduced without participants knowing whether they were drinking caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee.

From Science Daily ● May 3, 2026

Interestingly, improvements in learning and memory were only seen in participants who drank decaffeinated coffee.

From Science Daily ● May 3, 2026

All these methods, which are also used to make decaffeinated tea, start with green, or unroasted, coffee beans that have been premoistened.

From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2024

In the endeavor to develop a commercial decaffeinated coffee the first method of procedure was to extract the caffein from roasted coffee.

From All About Coffee by William H. (William Harrison) Ukers

Another makes acetic anhydride, a key ingredient of aspirin, and the third makes ethyl acetate, which is used as a solvent and for decaffeinating tea and coffee.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

Producers decaffeinating their coffee want to remove the caffeine while retaining all – or at least most – of the other chemical aroma and flavor compounds.

From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2024

Shortly thereafter, California Assemblymember Eloise Reyes proposed new legislation that would expressly prohibit a “person or entity from using methylene chloride in the process of decaffeinating coffee” starting in 2027.

From Salon ● Mar. 16, 2024

And of course, living in California, I couldn’t help but hear about a new West Coast startup company focused on decaffeinating coffee after it has been pulled or poured.

From Slate ● Jan. 11, 2023

This could be done through genetic engineering of the tobacco plant or chemical extraction after the fact — a similar process to decaffeinating coffee beans.

From Scientific American ● Jul. 31, 2017

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