chocolate

[ chaw-kuh-lit, chok-uh-, chawk-lit, chok- ]

noun

1. a preparation of the seeds of cacao, roasted, husked, and ground, often sweetened and flavored, as with vanilla.
2. a beverage made by dissolving such a preparation in milk or water, served hot or cold:

   a cup of hot chocolate.

3. candy made from such a preparation.
4. an individual piece of this candy.
5. any syrup or flavoring made from this preparation or artificially imitating its flavor.
6. a dark brown color.

adjective

1. made, flavored, or covered with chocolate:

   chocolate cake; chocolate ice cream.

2. having the color of chocolate; dark-brown.

chocolate

/ -lət; ˈtʃɒklɪt; ˈtʃɒkəlɪt /

noun

1. a food preparation made from roasted ground cacao seeds, usually sweetened and flavoured
2. a drink or sweetmeat made from this
3. 1. a moderate to deep brown colour
   2. ( as adjective )

      a chocolate carpet

Derived Forms

• ˈchocolaty, adjective

Other Words From

• choco·lat·y choco·lat·ey adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of chocolate¹

First recorded in 1600–1610; from Spanish, from Nahuatl chocolātl, from chocol-, of unknown meaning (but perhaps from xococ “bitter, sour”) + ātl “water”

Word History and Origins

Origin of chocolate¹

C17: from Spanish, from Aztec xocolatl, from xococ sour, bitter + atl water

Example Sentences

A Christmas gift of a chocolate Salisbury Cathedral was also offered from Russia Today.

From BBC

Her resulting pumpkin blondies — flecked with dark chocolate chips and sea salt — are the perfect solution for holiday bakers who are low on time, but excited to capture seasonal flavors.

From Salon

Indian growers can only supply a quarter of the beans needed by Indian makers of chocolate and other confectionary.

From BBC

One character called "The Unknown," who does not feature in the original Roald Dahl story, was described as an "evil rival chocolate maker who lived in the walls".

From BBC

Balloons and banners were hung outside her bedroom door in the morning, followed by the presentation of a candlelit chocolate cake in the evening.

From BBC

How Do You Spell Chocolate?

Spelling tips for chocolate

The word chocolate is hard to spell because the second o is often not emphasized when pronounced—many people say [ chawk-lit ], not [ chok–uh-lit ]. Also, the final syllable -late is pronounced [ lit ], not like the word late. 

How to spell chocolate: You can remember how the word chocolate starts by remembering that it is sometimes abbreviated as choco, as in choco chips and Choco Taco. You can remember the ending by remembering that chocolate is often eaten as dessert, meaning that it’s eaten late.