cacao

[ kuh-kah-oh, -key-oh ]

noun

, plural ca·ca·os.

1. a small tropical American evergreen tree, Theobroma cacao, cultivated for its seeds, the source of cocoa, chocolate, etc.
2. Also the fruit or seeds of this tree.

cacao

/ kəˈkɑːəʊ; -ˈkeɪəʊ /

noun

1. a small tropical American evergreen tree, Theobroma cacao, having yellowish flowers and reddish-brown seed pods from which cocoa and chocolate are prepared: family Sterculiaceae
2. cacao bean
   another name for cocoa bean
3. cacao butter
   another name for cocoa butter

Word History and Origins

Origin of cacao¹

First recorded in 1545–55; from Spanish, from Nahuatl cacahuatl “cacao seeds”

Word History and Origins

Origin of cacao¹

C16: from Spanish, from Nahuatl cacauatl cacao beans

Example Sentences

Arturo Enciso is known for the naturally leavened sourdough breads and pastries at his Long Beach bakery Gusto, including his hueso baguettes and conchas de cacao.

From Los Angeles Times

In moderation, dark chocolate with at least 80% to 85% cacao may even benefit your gut microbiome and mood by encouraging beneficial bacterial species to grow.

From Salon

Given that the United States imports 15% of its food supply — including nearly all of its coffee and cacao, 60% of fresh fruit and nearly 40% of fresh vegetables — a 10% tariff would amount to a cost increase on some of America’s most important imports.

From Salon

"Pesticides don't work well against mealybugs, leaving farmers to try to prevent the spread of the disease by cutting out infected trees and breeding resistant trees. But despite these efforts, Ghana has lost more than 254 million cacao trees in recent years."

From Science Daily

But the vaccines are expensive, especially for low-wage farmers, and vaccinated trees produce a smaller harvest of cacao, compounding the devastation of the virus.

From Science Daily