shea
Americannoun
noun
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a tropical African sapotaceous tree, Butyrospermum parkii, with oily seeds
-
the white butter-like fat obtained from the seeds of this plant and used as food, to make soaps, etc
Etymology
Origin of shea
1799; said to be < Bambara si ( shea is Mungo Park's spelling)
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.
Flamingo Estate blends anti-inflammatory and skin-restoring manuka honey with hydrating lanolin and shea butter for an ultra-rich yet cloud-like cream that you can use on your hands or anywhere that needs some extra love.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 20, 2025
Harvested fruit from shea nut trees have to be crushed, roasted and boiled to extract their oil to produce the shea butter used in cosmetics.
From BBC • Aug. 27, 2025
Shettima said the temporary ban would enable Nigeria to move from being an exporter of the raw nuts to a global supplier of refined shea products.
From BBC • Aug. 27, 2025
The move is aimed at making the trade more lucrative as Nigeria is losing out by not producing much shea butter locally.
From BBC • Aug. 27, 2025
When it was on vacation from its professional chores, it fell, as a rule, alternately in love with shea: volume and a theatrical brand of quietness-steadiness.
From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger
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.
