cacao

American  

[kuh-kah-oh, -key-oh] / kəˈkɑ oʊ, -ˈkeɪ oʊ /

noun

plural

cacaos

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.

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cacao British  

/ 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. another name for cocoa bean

3. another name for cocoa butter

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Etymology

Origin of cacao

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

Example Sentences

I always get the Andante, a cold brew with maple syrup, salted sweet cream foam, cacao powder and pink salt.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Severe weather is also contributing to high prices for coffee and cacao, senior administration officials said.

From BBC • Nov. 13, 2025

A new study in Environmental Research Letters finds that even the most advanced climate intervention methods may not be able to protect wine grapes, coffee, and cacao from a changing planet.

From Science Daily • Nov. 4, 2025

It is the world's leading producer of cacao, the raw material for cocoa; also produces cashew nuts, and has a thriving oil industry.

From Barron's • Oct. 25, 2025

In among the cacao roots Pedrito lowered the terrible cargo.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez