Java

American  

[jah-vuh, jav-uh] / ˈdʒɑ və, ˈdʒæv ə /

noun

1. the main island of Indonesia. 51,032 sq. mi. (132,173 sq. km).

2. (usually lowercase) coffee.

   a cup of java.

---

Trademark.

1. Digital Technology. a brand name for a high-level, object-oriented programming language used primarily to build web-based applications.

Java ¹ British  

/ ˈdʒɑːvə /

noun

1. Former spelling: Djawa.  an island of Indonesia, south of Borneo, from which it is separated by the Java Sea : politically the most important island of Indonesia; it consists chiefly of active volcanic mountains and is densely forested. It came under Dutch control in 1596 and became part of Indonesia in 1949. It is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Capital: Jakarta. Pop (with Madura): 121 352 608 (2000 est). Area: 132 174 sq km (51 032 sq miles)

---

Java ² British  

/ ˈdʒɑːvə /

noun

1. a programming language especially applicable to the Internet

---

Java Cultural  

1. Island in Indonesia, south of Borneo.

---

Discover More

Java is one of the world's most densely populated regions.

It was under Dutch rule from 1619 to 1949.

Etymology

Origin of Java

1550–60; of obscure origin; possibly from Sanskrit yāvadvīpa, yāvaka dvīpa “barley island” (the island was well known for the barley plant)

Explanation

Java is an informal word for "coffee," so the next time you go out for breakfast, you can jauntily order a cup of java. In North America, java has been slang for "coffee" since about 1850. Java is a coffee-producing region of what was then the Dutch East Indies and is now Indonesia, and while the term originally referred to coffee grown in Java, by the 20th century it was shorthand for any coffee. If you use this word these days, you're just as likely to be talking about the computer programming language called Java.

Example Sentences

The father-of-three admitted that his family in Tegal, Central Java, has struggled without this income, more than eight times the minimum wage there.

From Barron's • Feb. 9, 2026

At least seven people have died and more than 80 others are missing after a landslide hit Indonesia's West Java province, officials said.

From BBC • Jan. 24, 2026

The death toll from multiple landslides in Indonesia's Java island last week has risen to 30, as the search to find many still missing continues, a disaster official said.

From Barron's • Nov. 21, 2025

More than 660 pupils from two schools in central Java reported symptoms of food poisoning, Gunungkidul district head Endah Subekti Kuntariningsih said.

From Barron's • Oct. 29, 2025

“But that’s not really fair. He looks more like a combination of the Java Man and Dad.”

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

Related Words

• caffeine
• cappuccino
• espresso