acai

noun

ˌä-ˌsä-ˈē 

-sī-ˈē

variants or less commonly açai

1

a

or acai berry or less commonly açai berry : a small, dark purple, berrylike fruit with a juicy pulp that is often used in beverages or eaten raw and that is produced by a tall, slender palm (Euterpe oleracea) native to tropical rainforests of Central and South America

Note: Acai is a single-seeded drupe that grows in large clusters. In the Brazilian Amazon [Rainforest], acai makes up an important part of the local diet and is often prepared as a mash with cassava pulp.

b

or acai palm or less commonly açai palm : the palm (Euterpe oleracea) that produces acai berries

2

: a beverage made from the juice of the acai berry

Rio de Janeiro is the city that worships health and beauty and where the healthy and the beautiful drink acai.

—Alex Bellosz

Examples of acai in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The 21-year-old pop superstar is snuggled on a sofa at a Los Angeles studio — black pants, black and red hair — and sets down the acai bowl in her hands to explain. —Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 14 Nov. 2023

Wake up with a bowl of frozen acai laden with guarana syrup. —Caroline Shin, Bon Appétit, 13 Oct. 2023

Ruby Jean’s Juicery is the go-to location for fresh and cold-pressed juices, smoothies, acai bowls, and healthy breakfast bites. —Ronny Maye, Essence, 30 Sep. 2023

Previous research has found that foods like acai bowls, soups, sauces, and even guacamole decrease in flavanols after they are pureed and pulverized—exposed to oxygen at an elevated rate. —Rebecca Jaspan, Mph, Rd, Health, 29 Sep. 2023

And then there's the a la carte breakfast entrees, which range from arepas to acai bowls and yogurt parfaits. —Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 12 Sep. 2023

Is that the acai bowlery’s fault, or the app operator’s? —Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 26 Aug. 2023

The conditioner also utilizes ingredients like coconut, acai, peas, and specific peptides and squalane from each to moisturize and lock in that hydration. —Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 15 Aug. 2023

Parlor Doughnuts also serves acai bowls, breakfast sandwiches and tacos. —Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Aug. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Brazilian Portuguese assaí, uaçaí, açaí, the palm Euterpe oleracea, borrowed from Tupi *ɨβasaí, from ɨβá "plant, fruit" + an element of uncertain meaning

First Known Use

circa 1861, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing acai

• acai palm
• acai berry

• acai palm
• acai berry