cacao

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noun ca·cao \kə-ˈkau̇, kə-ˈkā-(ˌ)ō\

Definition of cacao

plural

cacaos

1 : 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 also cacao bean, cocoa bean
2 : a tree having small yellowish flowers followed by fleshy pods from which cacao is obtained

See cacao defined for English-language learners

See cacao defined for kids

Examples of cacao in a Sentence

a farmer who grows cacao

Recent Examples of cacao from the Web

With just two ingredients: raw cacao and raw agave nectar, the folks at Go Raw have managed to create a rich, smooth chocolatey treat, individually wrapped in squares that offer built-in portion control.

— molly kimball, NOLA.com, "7 products at the grocery store that will improve your diet", 5 July 2017
While there's no wrong way to eat a Reese’s, that might not be the case with raw cacao.

— zlati meyer, USA TODAY, "Snort! Now, your nose can enjoy chocolate, too", 5 July 2017
Fold in bittersweet chocolate (at least 60% cacao) rather than the semisweet or milk varieties.

— teresa dumain, Woman's Day, "4 Things You Need to Know to Ensure Your Kids Grows Up Heart-Healthy", 28 June 2017
Stumptown coffee concentrate is blended with the boozy ingredients, and rounded out with some cacao and Ancho chili liqueur.

— tan vinh, The Seattle Times, "It’s slushy season — 5 to try in Seattle, frosé or otherwise", 14 June 2017
The pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini has started a bean-to-bar chocolate company, sourcing his raw cacao from farms in Jamaica, South America, Tanzania and Vietnam.

— florence fabricant, New York Times, "Johnny Iuzzini and the Chocolate Factory", 30 May 2017
Along with cucumber-pineapple-jalapeño juice and almond milk, the first Moon Juice sold organic bananas with walnut butter and cacao cashew snack bites.

— molly young, New York Times, "How Amanda Chantal Bacon Perfected the Celebrity Wellness Business", 25 May 2017
Rich chocolate cake made with Andean cacao comes with lucuma ice cream made with a fruit paste that tastes like butterscotch and pumpkin.

— linda bladholm, miamiherald, "Just what the doctor ordered at Dr. Limon Peruvian", 24 May 2017
Add almond flour, ground cacao nibs, and shredded coconut and pulse just to combine.

— claire saffitz, Bon Appetit, "Cocoa-Nut Energy Bites", 19 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cacao'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Illustration of cacao

Origin and Etymology of cacao

Spanish, from Nahuatl cacahuatl

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First Known Use: 1555

See Words from the same year

Other Seed Plant Terms

aubergine, box, bramble, briar, composite, perpetual, pulse, trefoil

CACAO Defined for English Language Learners

cacao

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noun

Definition of cacao for English Language Learners

: the dried seeds of a tropical tree that are used to make cocoa and chocolate

CACAO Defined for Kids

cacao

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noun ca·cao \kə-ˈkau̇, kə-ˈkā-ō\

Definition of cacao for Students

plural

cacaos

: a South American tree with fleshy yellow pods that contain fatty seeds from which chocolate is made

Medical Dictionary

cacao

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noun ca·cao \kə-ˈkau̇, kə-ˈkā-(ˌ)ō\

Medical Definition of cacao

plural

cacaos

1: 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 also cacao bean, cocoa bean
2: a tree having small yellowish flowers followed by fleshy pods with many seeds that bear cacao—called also chocolate tree