cacao

noun

ca·​cao kə-ˈkau̇  kə-ˈkā-(ˌ)ō 

plural cacaos

1

or cacao bean : a dried, fermented, fatty seed of the fruit of a South American evergreen tree (Theobroma cacao of the family Malvaceae) 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

Illustration of cacao

• cacao 2

Examples of cacao in a Sentence

a farmer who grows cacao

Recent Examples on the Web

However, hurricanes eradicated much of Puerto Rico’s agriculture in the early 1700s, and cacao production was all but forgotten. —Rebecca L. Rhoades, Saveur, 20 Aug. 2025

Ingredients 1 cup rolled oats ¼ cup coconut flakes ½ cup dark chocolate chips ½ cup smooth peanut butter 2 tablespoons maple syrup 2 tablespoons cacao nibs Recipe Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl. —Ashia Aubourg, Outside, 16 Aug. 2025

Try incorporating high-fiber foods like avocados, raspberries, lentils, chia seeds, and cacao nibs into your diet for an easy and delicious way to boost your health. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 10 July 2025

Finding her thus deflated, carrying a dozen or so tiny shopping bags and with nothing but 70 percent cacao cupcakes to cheer her, Conrad gamely offers to accompany her to the florist. —Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Nahuatl cacahuatl

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cacao

• cacao butter
• crème de cacao

Rhymes for cacao

• buteo
• vireo

Kids Definition

cacao

noun

ca·​cao kə-ˈkau̇ 

kə-ˈkā-ō

plural cacaos

1

: a South American tree that bears small yellowish flowers followed by fleshy yellow pods containing many seeds

2

: the dried fatty seeds of the cacao from which cocoa and chocolate are made

called also cacao bean

Medical Definition

cacao

noun

ca·​cao kə-ˈkau̇  kə-ˈkā-(ˌ)ō 

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