Illustration of coffee
- coffee 1b
often attributive
1
a
: a beverage made by percolation, infusion, or decoction from the roasted and ground seeds of a coffee plant see also iced coffee, irish coffee, turkish coffee
b
: any of several Old World tropical plants (genus Coffea and especially C. arabica and C. canephora) of the madder family that are widely cultivated in warm regions for their seeds from which coffee is prepared
d
: a dehydrated product made from brewed coffee
instant coffee
also
: a beverage made from this
2
: a cup of coffee
two coffees
3
Did you know?
Coffee is made from the roasted and ground seeds, or beans, of the coffee plant, a tropical evergreen shrub. Two of the 25 or more species, Arabica and Robusta, supply most of the world's coffee. Arabica is grown in Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Indonesia; Robusta mainly in Africa. The shrub bears small white flowers with a jasmine-like fragrance. The fruit, which is red when mature, is called a cherry. The seed is called a bean. Coffee contains large amounts of caffeine, whose effects have always been an important element in the drink's popularity. Coffee-drinking dates from the 15th century in Arabia. It reached Europe by the 17th century and immediately became popular. Coffee is consumed by about one-third of the world's population.
Examples of coffee in a Sentence
I bought a pound of coffee.
Recent Examples on the Web
San Martin, which sits along the San Miguel River that’s part of a natural border between the two countries, is known for coffee, cacao and cattle.
—
Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Inspectors observed ant and roach insecticide being stored near a coffee container.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
For some of us, iced coffee is a year-round staple, but for those who drink it seasonally, now is a great time to update your coffee setup.
—Adam Campbell-Schmitt, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
Amazon’s Big Spring Sale started today, and honestly, the sheer volume of discounts is making my morning coffee taste like pure victory.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for coffee
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Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Inspectors observed ant and roach insecticide being stored near a coffee container.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
For some of us, iced coffee is a year-round staple, but for those who drink it seasonally, now is a great time to update your coffee setup.
—Adam Campbell-Schmitt, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
Amazon’s Big Spring Sale started today, and honestly, the sheer volume of discounts is making my morning coffee taste like pure victory.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for coffee
Cite this Entry
“Coffee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coffee. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
coffee
noun
cof·fee
ˈkȯ-fē 
ˈkäf-ē
1
: a drink made from the roasted and ground seeds of a tropical tree or shrub related to the madder
2
: coffee seeds or a plant producing them
3
: a cup of coffee
two coffees
Etymology
from Italian caffè "coffee" and Turkish kahve "coffee," both from Arabic qaḥwa "coffee"
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