chocolate

play

noun choc·o·late \ˈchä-k(ə-)lət, ˈchȯ-\

Simple Definition of chocolate

: a food that is made from cacao beans and that is eaten as candy or used as a flavoring ingredient in other sweet foods
: a candy made or covered with chocolate
: a dark brown color

Source: Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary

Full Definition of chocolate

1 : a beverage made by mixing chocolate with water or milk
2 : a food prepared from ground roasted cacao beans
3 : a small candy with a center (as a fondant) and a chocolate coating
4 : a brownish gray

chocolate

adjective

See chocolate defined for English-language learners

See chocolate defined for kids

Examples of chocolate in a sentence

The cake recipe calls for four squares of chocolate.
She gave me a box of chocolates for my birthday.

Origin and Etymology of chocolate

Spanish, from Nahuatl chocolātl, probably alteration of eastern Nahuatl dialect chikolātl, from chikolli hook (probably used to refer to the beater used to mix chocolate with water) + ātl water, liquid

First Known Use: 1604

Other Food Terms

Reuben, calamari, chuck, curry, edamame, foie gras, hummus, leaven, nonpareil, peel

CHOCOLATE Defined for Kids

chocolate

play

noun choc·o·late \ˈchä-kə-lət, ˈchä-klət, ˈchȯ-\

Definition of chocolate for Students

1 : a food prepared from ground roasted cacao beans
2 : a candy made or coated with chocolate
3 : a beverage of chocolate in water or milk <… he ordered … a pot of coffee and another of chocolate. — Esther Forbes, Johnny Tremain>

chocolate

adjective <chocolate ice cream>

History for chocolate

The word chocolate, like chili and tomato, comes from an American Indian language called Nahuatl, which was spoken in central Mexico at the time of the Spanish conquest. The Nahuatl word chocolātl looks like a compound, but its parts are not known for certain, and this has led to much discussion about its origin. One interesting idea is that the real source is chicolātl, a Nahuatl dialect word, made from chicolli, “hook”—here referring to the small hooked stick used to beat chocolate and hot water to a froth—and ātl, “liquid, water.”