cacao

noun

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ca·cao | \ kə-ˈkau̇

, kə-ˈkā-(ˌ)ō \

plural cacaos

Definition of cacao

1 or cacao bean : a dried, fermented, fatty seed of the fruit of a South American evergreen tree (Theobroma cacao of the family Sterculiaceae) that is used in making cocoa, chocolate, and cocoa butter : cocoa bean … polyphenols also make cacao beans taste astringent and bitter.— Patricia Gadsby

2 or cacao tree : a tree having small yellowish flowers followed by fleshy pods from which cacao is obtained Chocolate starts as the seeds in the fruits of the cacao tree, a tropical plant that produces flowers and fruit not at the tips of branches but on the trunk.— Kenneth Chang The cacao tree is native to the tropical countries of South America, but now grows in other parts of the world, notably Africa, the West Indies, and Central America.— Joanna Morris

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Examples of cacao in a Sentence

a farmer who grows cacao

Recent Examples on the Web Navitas is famous for its unprocessed raw cacao, a staple in many healthy pantries these days around the country. — Esha Chhabra, Forbes, 30 Apr. 2022 Key ingredient cacao is an antioxidant powerhouse, containing loads of Vitamin C, as well as omega-6 fatty acids for cellular healing. — Margaux Lushing, Forbes, 2 May 2022 The velvety chicken mole sings with both fruitiness and bitterness from Chiapas cacao beans. — Jackie Tran, Bon Appétit, 18 Feb. 2022 This cacao-lovin’ company exists solely to find ways to employ the whole seed—shell, pulp, and beans—in a suite of snacks. — Maggie Lange, Bon Appétit, 27 Oct. 2021 The company ethically sources high-quality cacao beans from Colombia and its production facility runs on 100 percent renewable wind energy. — People Staff, PEOPLE.com, 27 Nov. 2021 Oodalolly’s small batch chocolate, made with Filipino cacao, is infused with Kasama’s small batch rum, which is distilled in the Philippines from local sugar cane. — Bon Appétit, 15 Nov. 2021 The Livener energizes with schisandra berry and guayusa, the Social Elixir pairs cacao, molasses, tea and yerba mate in a dark brew that warms even when served cold. — Aleksandra Crapanzano, Bon Appétit, 22 Nov. 2021 The company was named after the Theobroma cacao tree, also known as the cocoa tree—Theo for short. — Elizabeth Karmel, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2021 See More

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.

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cacalia

cacao

cacao brown

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Last Updated

7 Jul 2022

Cite this Entry

“Cacao.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cacao. Accessed 8 Aug. 2022.

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More Definitions for cacao

cacao

noun

ca·cao | \ kə-ˈkau̇

, kə-ˈkā-ō \

plural cacaos

Kids Definition of cacao

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

cacao

noun

ca·cao | \ kə-ˈkau̇

, kə-ˈkā-(ˌ)ō

plural cacaos

Medical Definition of cacao

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