or cacao bean: a dried, fermented, fatty seed of the fruit of a South American evergreen tree (Theobroma cacao of the family Sterculiaceae) that is used in making cocoa, chocolate, and cocoa butter : cocoa bean
… polyphenols also make cacao beans taste astringent and bitter.—Patricia Gadsby
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or cacao tree: a tree having small yellowish flowers followed by fleshy pods from which cacao is obtained
Chocolate starts as the seeds in the fruits of the cacao tree, a tropical plant that produces flowers and fruit not at the tips of branches but on the trunk.—Kenneth Chang
The cacao tree is native to the tropical countries of South America, but now grows in other parts of the world, notably Africa, the West Indies, and Central America.—Joanna Morris
Illustration of cacao
cacao 2
Examples of cacao in a Sentence
a farmer who grows cacao
Recent Examples on the WebIt’s most commonly found in the skins of grapes, blueberries, raspberries, and cranberries, as well as in peanuts, pistachios, cacao, and dark chocolate.—Irene Coltrinari, Vogue, 13 June 2024 The bread’s soft, moist textures contrast with the tiny crunches of cacao nibs, ending with perfect pungency from black cardamom.—Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 4 June 2024 Sometimes the cacao tastes a little more floral, sometimes more licorice.—Kristine M. Kierzek, Journal Sentinel, 10 May 2024 Perhaps surprisingly, there’s also a long tradition of making chocolate here that dates back to the 17th century, using cacao from the Americas.—María Casbas, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cacao
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cacao.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
: the dried partly fermented fatty seeds of a South American evergreen tree (Theobroma cacao of the family Sterculiaceae) that are used in making cocoa, chocolate, and cocoa butter
called alsocacao bean, cocoa bean
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: a tree having small yellowish flowers followed by fleshy pods with many seeds that bear cacao
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