chocolate

noun

choc·​o·​late ˈchä-k(ə-)lət  ˈchȯ- 

1

: a food prepared from ground roasted cacao beans

The cake recipe calls for four squares of chocolate.

2

: a small candy with a center (such as a fondant) and a chocolate coating

gave her a box of chocolates

3

: a beverage made by mixing chocolate with water or milk

The boy stirred the chocolate before drinking it.

4

: a brownish gray

The bird's plumage was a shade of chocolate.

chocolate adjective

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Prices reached record highs over the past two years, triggered by adverse weather conditions and poor cocoa harvests that pushed chocolate costs higher and dampened consumer sentiment. — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 27 July 2026

Banana bread, chocolate loaves, pound cake—all have made their way through my kitchen over the years. — Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 July 2026

Natural leather remains the timeless classic, followed by chocolate brown, black, butter, and sandy shades—colors that pair effortlessly with linen, cotton, light denim, and all the fabrics that fill a summer wardrobe. — Selene Oliva, Glamour, 26 July 2026

People enjoy them in countless ways, including being folded into shortcake, mixed into fruit salad, dipped in chocolate, piled on pancakes, stirred into yogurt, blended into smoothies or simply eaten by the handful as a refreshing snack. — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 26 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Nahuatl chocolātl, probably an 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, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Phrases Containing chocolate

• baker's chocolate
• baking chocolate
• chocolate-box
• chocolate chip cookie
• chocolate milk
• dark chocolate
• hot chocolate
• milk chocolate
• plain chocolate
• sweet chocolate
• white chocolate

Kids Definition

chocolate

noun

choc·​o·​late ˈchäk-(ə-)lət  ˈchȯk- 

1

: a beverage of chocolate in water or milk

2

: a food prepared from ground roasted cacao beans

3

: a candy made of or coated with chocolate

4

: a brownish gray

chocolate adjective