arabica

noun

arab·​i·​ca ə-ˈra-bə-kə How to pronounce arabica (audio)
often attributive
1
: an evergreen shrub or tree (Coffea arabica) yielding seeds that produce a high-quality coffee and form a large portion of the coffee of commerce
2
: the seeds of arabica especially roasted and often ground

Examples of arabica in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Global tariffs that started at 10% in April were later raised sharply on major suppliers like Vietnam and Indonesia. Brazil — which supplies more than a third of the U.S.'s arabica beans — was hit with a 50% duty on Aug. 6. Mike Winters gabriel Cortés, CNBC, 13 Sep. 2025 Of course there was arabica, the premium bean served at almost all upscale coffee shops. Alex Mayyasi, Saveur, 10 Sep. 2025 Gone are the days when instant was synonymous with weak coffee, bitter and astringent, and mainly made with Robusta beans instead of the preferred arabica. Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2025 While sugarcane fields remain, there were also groves of coffee trees, including species like arabica, robusta, and the less-common liberica. Jeff Chu, Travel + Leisure, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for arabica

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, specific epithet of Coffea arabica, from Latin, feminine of Arabicus Arabian

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of arabica was in 1882

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Arabica.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arabica. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!