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

Tess from Brooklyn also liked her acai bowl but thought waiting 20 minutes for it was a bit too long. —Gary Stern, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025

The company recalled its frozen acai bowls in February due to possible contamination from foreign material and recalled sparkling mineral water in March after learning that 1% of the glass bottles could have damage. —Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025

Drizzle sells jars of raw white and raw golden honey, although its major selling point is its superfood varieties, including Turmeric Gold, Berry Bliss (whipped primarily with fresh acai berries and blueberries), and Cacao Luxe (made with Fair Trade cacao). —Andrew Watman, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025

Catering — offers customers event menu planning for free. Pours — features beer, coffee, tea, smoothies and acai bowls. —Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 26 Mar. 2025

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