tapioca

[ tap-ee-oh-kuh ]

noun

1. a food substance prepared from cassava in granular, flake, pellet pearl tapioca, or flour form, used in puddings, as a thickener, etc.

tapioca

/ ˌtæpɪˈəʊkə /

noun

1. a beadlike starch obtained from cassava root, used in cooking as a thickening agent, esp in puddings

Word History and Origins

Origin of tapioca¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from Portuguese, from Tupi tipioca, more literally, “pulp squeezed out” (of cassava plants), from tipi “dregs, residue” + oca “to squeeze out”

Word History and Origins

Origin of tapioca¹

C18: via Portuguese from Tupi tipioca pressed-out juice, from tipi residue + ok to squeeze out

Example Sentences

If the ingredients include things such as “organic tapioca starch” or “pea protein isolate,” or even natural coloring, you might reconsider.

From Los Angeles Times

The Canadian-Chinese actor also pressed the business owners, Sebastien Fiset and Jess Frenette, about whether they had members of staff who understood the cultural significance of the "very Asian drink", which is made with tapioca balls.

From BBC

It is overlaid with a gel created from tapioca starch and gelatin, which is ultrasoft and mimics the makeup of tissue itself.

From Science Daily

It’s not just tech: The island more than tripled exports of tapioca and its substitute, key ingredients in boba milk tea, to the U.S. between 2018 and 2023 and is shipping more fruits, tree nuts and farmed fish.

From Seattle Times

It has long flown under the radar in the form of tapioca, a cassava starch used in pudding and boba tea.

From Salon