cocoa

¹ American  

[koh-koh] / ˈkoʊ koʊ /

noun

1. a powder made from roasted, husked, and ground seeds of the cacao, Theobroma cacao, from which much of the fat has been removed.

2. cacao.

3. a beverage made by mixing cocoa powder with hot milk or water.

4. brown; yellowish brown; reddish brown.

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adjective

1. of or relating to cocoa.

2. of the color of cocoa.

cocoa ² American  

[koh-koh] / ˈkoʊ koʊ /

noun

1. coco.

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Cocoa ³ American  

[koh-koh] / ˈkoʊ koʊ /

noun

1. a city in E central Florida.

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cocoa British  

/ ˈkəʊkəʊ /

noun

1. a powder made from cocoa beans after they have been roasted, ground, and freed from most of their fatty oil

2. a hot or cold drink made from cocoa and milk or water

3. 1. a light to moderate brown colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      cocoa paint

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Etymology

Origin of cocoa¹

First recorded in 1700–10; earlier cocao, cacoa, variant of cacao

Origin of cocoa²

1545–55; misspelling of coco, by confusion with cocoa ¹

Explanation

The dark, chocolate-brown powder you use to make brownies or devil's food cake is called cocoa. Cocoa consists of finely ground roasted cacao beans. You can use cocoa to make many chocolate treats, including pudding, cake, cookies, and hot chocolate — which is also called cocoa. Although cocoa powder smells delicious, it has to be mixed with sugar or some other sweetener for it to taste good. When the word cocoa was first used in the early 18th century, it was based on a mistake, mixing up the letters of cacao, the seed that's used to make cocoa.

Example Sentences

The chocolate industry is still reeling from wild swings in cocoa markets, after futures spiked to record highs in 2024 amid a supply squeeze and then experienced a major pullback.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

The new markets will be rolled out on Wednesday, and include metals like nickel as well as agricultural commodities such as corn, coffee, and cocoa.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

Excessive rainfall creating disease issues for beans limited the amount of cocoa coming out of West African ports.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

But rising global cocoa prices mean chocolate is now 15% more expensive than it was a year ago - and Easter 2026 comes at a time when many household incomes in the UK are squeezed.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

We worked quietly, and I stopped worrying about awkwardness and focused on my cocoa.

From "Keep It Together, Keiko Carter" by Debbi Michiko Florence