shea

American  

[shee, shay] / ʃi, ʃeɪ /

noun

1. shea tree.

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shea British  

/ ˈʃɪə /

noun

1. a tropical African sapotaceous tree, Butyrospermum parkii, with oily seeds

2. the white butter-like fat obtained from the seeds of this plant and used as food, to make soaps, etc

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Etymology

Origin of shea

1799; said to be < Bambara si ( shea is Mungo Park's spelling)

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

shea

Voyage Foods’ product is made from roasted and ground grapeseeds left over from the winemaking industry, blended with sunflower protein flour, palm and shea oils, sugar and natural flavors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

In the heart of the Yopougon industrial zone on the outskirts of the capital Abidjan, women working on a production line fill thousands of bottles of shea butter-based cosmetics.

From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026

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

This loss, combined with the poor harvests, has had a direct impact on people like Mariam Chandiru, a local shea butter producer for many years in the northern town of Koboko.

From BBC ● May 1, 2025

Only so much could be done about her hair without shea butter and a good comb, but she at least tried to redo some of the unravelling twists.

From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray

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